


The Heir of Goldoa

by Arukona



Series: Loving Dragons [4]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Angst, Chess, Coma, Doubt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flashbacks, Lime, Love, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Nightmares, Partial Nudity, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnancy, Promises, Reading, Recovery, Regret, Reminiscing, Romance, Self-Doubt, Speeches, Tears
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:55:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 53,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26138488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arukona/pseuds/Arukona
Summary: With Prince Rajaion having passed on, Ena is unsure of how to continue. She knew to move on was what her love as well as her grandfather would want for her. But despite assurances, she isn't sure of how she can do this. A deceased fiancé isn't something that can be easily moved on from, after all.Luckily for her, though, those worries are soon put to rest.
Relationships: Dheginsea/Karmeis (Fire Emblem), Ena/Rajaion (Fire Emblem)
Series: Loving Dragons [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883311
Kudos: 5





	1. Reunion at Last

It had been a long battle. For the soldiers of the Crimean Liberation Army, for the soldiers from Crimea, Begnion, Gallia and Phoenicis, this was the battle that would end all of the strife that had been orchestrated by the mad whims of the Mad King of Daein. It was hoped the death of King Ashnard would herald the end of his malevolent influence over Crimea as well as Daein. And for the laguz, their brothers that had been warped by the feral drug and turned into Feral Ones could rest in peace knowing that the man who orchestrated such an act of cruelty would die a painful death. 

And indeed, that was what came to pass. Although the Mad King had been a brutally tough opponent, more so when he dipped into the power of Lehran’s Medallion which enhanced his strength further, the combined power of General Ike, King Tibarn as well as Ena and Nasir had been too much for him, and he had died not long after the killing blow had been landed.

That had been Ike’s, but it could not have been done without the help of Ena. The pink-scaled dragon had seen an opening to strike during an exchange of strikes between Ike and Ashnard. When the latter reared back for another slash at the mercenary, Ena took her chance, and unleashed her fiery breath upon the Daein king for all it was worth. This time, it had an impact; Ashnard had been weakened heavily by the battle, and the dragon laguz’s breath had been forceful enough to blow him off his mount. In this instance, the medallion was knocked out of his grasp, and the power that had made him stronger dissipated. The king was on death’s door when he landed forcefully on the grass, and yet he still laughed and grinned maniacally.

“Heh heh...excellent...Excellent!” he cackled weakly. “So good! More...more, I say! At this time of ascension, it's not enough...not enough…”

Ike took this opportunity to walk over to him. With Ragnell held strongly in his hand, he swung the golden blade at the Mad King, slicing through his armour and cutting a deep wound across his chest. More blood spewed forth from his body, and yet still Ashnard laughed. He laughed...and laughed...and laughed...until at last, his body fell silent. 

The resulting silence was stupefying. Everyone who had witnessed the fight, from the four that had fought Ashnard to groups of Crimean and Daein soldiers observing the battle, all watched as the Mad King breathed his last breath. 

As they looked on, a mixture of emotions gradually fell upon the observing soldiers.

For many of the Crimean Liberation Army, they felt triumphant that King Ashnard, the maniacal king that had wreaked havoc upon thousands of innocent people, both beorc and laguz, was now dead.

For many of the Daein soldiers, they felt horrified that King Ashnard, the insurmountable king that preached strength and encouraged many commoners to seize high-up positions in the social hierarchy, was now dead.

Many Crimeans had joined the army and various resistance militias with the hope of one day felling the man who had brutally occupied their country and killed their king.

Many Daeins had joined the army with the hope of expanding their poor podzolic land into Crimea’s more fertile pastures and beyond, and also to get revenge on Crimea for sticking by those foul sub-humans.

With this moment, then, dreams had both withered and been realised.

“Now...it is truly over,” Ike said after checking the Mad King really was dead. These words had been picked up by his comrades within earshot, and they all couldn’t help but agree. Ashnard was an idol in Daein and the pillar of the nation. With his death, hopefully the rest of the soldiers would see the futility of the conflict and lay down their arms.

But before the blue-haired general could order such a thing, his attention was drawn to another sight.

It was Ena. She had untransformed, and was running over towards Ashnard’s mount, which he noticed was still breathing.

“Ena, stay back!” called Ike, alarmed. “The king’s mount is still alive!” 

If the pink dragon heard him, she did not listen. Instead, she continued running, over to where the black dragon that was the Mad King’s steed lay. It snarled and growled, in pain from the wounds dealt to it during the battle. The dragon tried to rear its head up, but it was too weak to do so, and fell to the ground with a crash.

“Stay back!” Ike yelled again.

But once again, Ena did not listen. The mount reared its head up, and found the strength to roar at her.

“Ena!” the Crimean general cried, even more worried. It wouldn’t take much for the obsidian dragon to take its claws and rake it across the pink-haired laguz’s chest. Or worse, for it to open its huge maw and make a meal of her.

But none of these things happened.

Instead, something unbelievable and completely unexpected did.

Ena, undeterred by the ferocity of the creature before her, lay down by the dragon’s head and began to stroke the dragon’s scales.

And more astonishing to observers was the sight of Ashnard’s mount ceasing its insane movements and beginning to calm down as the pink dragon did this. Gone was the roaring, crazed monster; now it seemed almost serene, as if at peace.

“Wh-What’s going on?” Ike asked, unable to believe what he was seeing. “His mount is so calm…” 

“Ike…” Nasir spoke, and to the beorc, it was odd that he didn’t seem surprised at all. “Let them be.”

“Nasir...what’s this all about?” questioned the general. _What does he know about what’s going on here?_

“That...is her mate,” the white dragon revealed, making Ike’s eyes go wide. “As death nears, he has regained his sanity.”

“King Daein’s mount...is Ena’s mate?” the mercenary said, astounded at this revelation. But as he looked upon the two of them, it all suddenly began to make sense.

When he first entered battle with Ashnard, Ike hadn’t really taken too much notice of the mount, only focused on the megalomaniac perched on its back. He just thought of it as an ordinary wyvern, albeit quite an abnormally large one. And he had also assumed it had been influenced by its master’s deranged mannerisms, for it had snarled and roared all battle, snapping at the Mad King’s opponents and swiping its huge claws, sometimes landing hits. Even now, he could feel a wound at his right hip where the dragon had struck.

But as he looked upon the scene before him, the Crimean general was able to piece together the truth of the matter. King Daein’s mount was no wyvern, and was in fact a dragon laguz, which explained his immense size. And his unhinged, berserk demeanour must have been caused by the feral drug, which had warped him and bended him to the king’s will. Then, he must have been trained to move in a quadrupedal stance like that of a common wyvern rather than the grand, titanic bipedal forms of dragon laguz. 

Perhaps, then, Ashnard could have held him hostage and forced Ena to cooperate with Daein. And by extension, that would’ve brought Nasir into the conflict, in order to help out his granddaughter in her time of need. They were goodhearted people, the beorc realised, but they had to do evil to protect the one Ena loved. _Yet more lives in tatters by the Mad King,_ Ike thought disgustedly, and was only more glad Ashnard lay dead now and couldn’t ruin the lives of any more people.

Looking over at the scene once more, Ike saw that the feral eyes of the black dragon were beginning to close now, and it seemed like he would be breathing his last few breaths. Beside him, Ena couldn’t hold in her tears.

“Rajaion…” she wept, as she began to sob for her beloved. Her beloved whom she was supposed to marry. Her beloved who had acted as a source of comfort for her whenever she was distressed. Her beloved for whom she had defected to a side that was an enemy of all laguz, all for the purpose of hopefully one day restoring his sanity and bringing him back to Goldoa.

But that wouldn’t happen now. He would die here, and they would never live out their days as mates. All those hours they had spent fantasising about their future lives as husband and wife, and dreaming about the possibilities of children and even grandchildren...they would all come to naught.

His pulse was weakening, and his breaths were becoming less common. It was only a matter of time now. 

As Ena shed more tears, she could hear voices. She was too wallowed in grief to register what they were saying properly, but she could make out some words of the ancient language, followed by the modern tongue. It seemed like...Reyson and Leanne, the heron prince and princess? The pink-scaled dragon didn’t focus too much on what was being said, and only continued to lament her dying fiancé.

What happened next took her by surprise.

Reyson and Leanne began to sing the Galdr of Rebirth. The song felt heavenly, as if it relieved the stressor all who listened to it. Even Ena stopped moping to listen to it. A song of divinity and healing bestowed upon to the herons by the goddess herself, or so the tale had been told. A thought came into the dragon’s head as the heron laguz sung the hymn. _...Could they possibly be trying to…?_

As the galdr was sung, a white light began to come over the ailing black dragon. Then, what Ena had sought all of these years while serving Daein was achieved. Gradually, the dragon’s form began to shrink in size, until eventually, the white light dissipated...

...leaving a long-haired man where the feral dragon once lay.

Ena could only stare, gobsmacked. It...it was him. It was Rajaion! He may have been dishevelled and bloody and covered in wounds...but it was Rajaion, in his beorc form. It was infinitely better than seeing him driven insane and heeling to Ashnard’s every command.

“Leanne told me that dragon's true form had been warped,” she heard Reyson explaining to a bewildered Ike. “So we sang the galdr of rebirth…”

She would thank the herons a thousand times over for this. But for now...her attention was turned to her love, who was regaining consciousness.

“Err...aah…” Rajaion groaned, as his eyes flickered open. His gaze rested on Ena, before his red eyes, without a touch of ferality in them, widened in recognition. 

“...Rajaion?” Ena asked, making sure this wasn’t a dream. “D-do you know who I am?”

“...E...Ena…?” the black dragon wheezed.

“Yes...Yes!” Ena cried out joyfully. “You recognise me!”

“You were made...to suffer...because of me…” Rajaion rasped, a look of sorrow in his eyes. “I'm sorry...”

“...*sniff*...Rajaion! Rajaion! Oh, Rajaion…” Once again for Ena, tears were being shed. Only this time, they were of happiness rather than melancholy.

“...Ena... “ Rajaion found the strength to smile. “Let's return to Goldoa. The two of us...together.”

“I will go anywhere, my love, as long as it is with you,” Ena replied, her eyes glistening and voice full of emotion.

“Ena...from this day forward...Forever...” Rajaion breathed, his breaths becoming painfully shallow by this stage. It was at this point that he summoned the last of his strength to bring himself to his betrothed’s face...and kiss her.

Although neither of them admitted it out loud, they both were thinking the same thing.

_This will be our final kiss._

And with that, Rajaion lay down for his eternal slumber. His body grew colder, and Ena felt his pulse become more infrequent.

Ena sniffed. “Ah, Rajaion...” she mourned, as she watched the body of the one she loved grow numb with death. Behind her, she could hear her grandfather mumble mournfully for the prince of Goldoa. He may have left Goldoa decades ago, but he knew of the strong bond the two dragons had with one another.

“He...was one of the dragon tribe?” Ike asked Nasir, making sure he got the full picture.

“That’s right,” Nasir said. “He and Ena were engaged to be married...and then, he was driven mad by King Daein, and his form warped.”

“...I see,” the general remarked sympathetically. He looked upon the pink dragon, cradling her deceased husband’s form. He could only empathise, as he too had a loved one, his father, die in his hands. That pain between lovers, especially between two so close to being married, had to be similar.

 _She must have really loved him,_ Ike thought to himself. _And...it had to have been hard to side with the maniac that warped him._ A younger him would’ve insensitively questioned the seeming stupidity of such a move, but a more experienced, wiser him knew better. _If it meant she could get him back somehow...then she would’ve chosen the path she did. ...At least she was able to see him sane one last time._

Ena lay there, with Rajaion in her arms, as she silently mourned her beloved’s loss. Onlookers to the scene looked at her with pitying gazes. If they spoke words of condolence, the pink dragon did not hear them, for she was too focused on grieving her fiancé’s death. She somewhat registered Mist looking around the area where Ashnard had been to find Lehran’s Medallion, once a precious keepsake to her, but again, she kept her focus on Rajaion. She noticed a faint smile on his face, the same one he wore just before he had breathed his last breath. Seeing him like this made her break a small, tearful smile.

 _Your happiness was always contagious,_ she thought. _When I was saddened, you never failed to cheer me up, no matter what state I was in. And even as you lay dying, you still wore your signature smile despite your injuries. You have true strength, my love...more than I could ever muster. ...May you rest in peace, until the end of time. Someday, I’ll join you once again. But...I know you would rather it be later than sooner. Such a generous person...I can’t hope to match your selflessness._

The pink dragon found herself crying at this thought. A man peerless in his altruism, now lost to death like so many others in this heartless war. His standard would be hard to top, and it was then that Ena knew that she would never find someone like him again. 

Rajaion was lost forever. 

And so the dragon prince’s fiancée renewed her sobbing.

* * *

Ena didn’t know how long she’d remained in that same position, cradling Rajaion’s corpse. All she knew was that night was quickly descending by the time Nasir came up to her. The battle was over, and the remaining Daein soldiers had laid down their arms and surrendered. With the help of General Tanith and many of the Begnion soldiers, they were rounded up and would be sent home as prisoners of war. 

“Ena,” the white dragon greeted.

“Grandfather,” the younger dragon returned. “Am I...needed for anything?”

“...No, not in particular,” Nasir replied. “...Merely that...Princess Elincia says she will look after Prince Rajaion.” He looked over at the stairs near the fountain, where two Crimean soldiers carrying a stretcher were making their way over to where she was.

“Look after him?” Ena said. “...How so?” She held the dead prince closer, somewhat wary of what the soldiers would do with him.

“I believe she means take him to a more appropriate place,” her grandfather explained. “That way, he can be stored before we bring him back to Goldoa.” He looked again at the way Ena held Rajaion closely, reluctant to give him up. “...I understand your feelings, Ena. But this is hardly a suitable place to leave our crown prince. He will have security now, at the very least.”

“...I suppose,” Ena muttered, and released her beloved’s grasp, before laying him on the grass of the garden. She then got up, and looked at the two soldiers in the eyes. “Please…take care of him. He was my one true love…”

“That we will do,” obliged one of them. “I will obey Her Highness’s orders.to the bitter end. Your loved one will be safe. I swear my oath of allegiance on it!”

“...Very well. I will entrust Rajaion’s safety to you,” Ena replied, having a bit more confidence in the two men. She walked away from them to her grandfather, and watched as they carefully loaded Rajaion’s body onto the stretcher. _They are careful,_ she noted. _Please, let nothing happen to him..._

But the men were as good as their word. They brought the dragon prince’s body safely to the temporary mortuary without incident, where countless other bodies, beorc and laguz, Crimean and Daein, lay. Each had been organised by their country of origin. The assigned diener looked over at the arrivals from where he was cleaning the blood off a dead Crimean soldier’s armour.

“Oh, joy. Another one,” he said dryly. “Where’s this one from?”

“Goldoa,” answered one of the men.

“Goldoa? Pull the other one,” scoffed the diener, which put Ena somewhat on edge. “Why would there be a dragon in this battle? ...Unless this is one of the ferals that Daein brainwashed.”

“I...guess so?” shrugged the other beorc. “But you have to treat this one specially, Florian. Princess Elincia specifically ordered it.”

“And why would she do that?” Florian’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“...Because he’s the crown prince of Goldoa,” Ena replied from behind the men. “And he is a man well loved by his people. It wouldn’t do to anger the Goldoan people and their king if they heard of mistreatment, would it?” She spoke tensely and with gritted teeth. 

“...Yeah, what she said,” seconded the first soldier. “I mean, I don’t know much about dragons, but...if their power in that battle was anything to go by, they’re not someone you wanna anger.”

“...I see,” Florian muttered, seeing the point made. “...Who are you, anyway?”

“...Ena. The fiancée of Prince Rajaion of Goldoa. In other words...the very man you disparaged,” the dragon declared, looking directly into the eyes of the diener.

“...” Florian was shocked at what he’d heard, and to Ena’s surprise, his expression seemed to...form a look of sympathy? “...Well then. Forgive me, Ena. I...am not myself right now. Few like to be surrounded by so much death. I will take your loved one to one of the special coffins that you then may bring home to Goldoa. I...presume Her Highness has arranged that already.”

“I’m not aware of it,” Ena replied. “But probably so.” From what she saw of her, the Crimean princess did appear a sympathetic type.

“Good. Now, Arendse. I need your help carrying him,” Florian requested. And so, the first soldier and the diener carried Rajaion’s stretcher between them. Ena then watched as the two lifted his body carefully into the waiting coffin. While most of the regular soldiers were laid out on the floor, several well-made oak coffins on tables laden with silk stood. Ena guessed they were reserved for any fallen nobles in the battle. Several of them had bodies in them, and Rajaion’s body joined theirs.

“He’ll be fine. It’ll be a few days before he’ll begin to rot,” Florian said. “Leave him to me. I’ll keep him safe here. You have nothing to worry about, Miss Ena.”

“...Mmm,” Ena mumbled unsurely. “Well, if you say so…” She began to head back to the door.

Outside the temporary morgue, she met with Nasir, who looked slightly worried.

“I heard you in there,” he commented. “...I can see in the time I’ve been gone, you’ve become a lot closer to Prince Rajaion.”

“I have…” Ena said sadly. “When he heard of Lady Almedha’s situation, we were only a few months away from marriage. We were so close…!” she said, full of emotion, but dry of tears. 

“It’s alright, Ena,” reassured the white dragon. “That feeling of loss to those so dear to you...I know that feeling all too well. My own mate was one such person. She passed away at too young an age...as has our dear prince.” He pulled her into a comforting hug.

“But listen to me, Ena. Whatever happens, you mustn’t let yourself give in to despair,” Nasir continued. “His Highness would not want you saddened and grieving for the rest of your life. Although he may not be with you in person, he is with you in spirit. Use what he has taught you and take those lessons with you as you go forward. That is what we must all do when we lose our loved ones to death.”

“...” Ena didn’t say anything for some time. She merely remained in her grandfather’s embrace, as she lay her head against his chest. Eventually, she pulled away from him.

“That’s...the first time we’ve embraced in so long,” she finally spoke.

“...Indeed,” murmured Nasir, his tone sounding guilty. “...I can only apologise for not being there for you in your darkest hour. That I only realised your plight within the last few years...I cannot be more sorry, Ena.”

“...No. I should be apologising to you,” Ena replied. “It’s my fault that you had to betray Sir Ike and his group. It was because of me that you got entangled on the wrong side of this conflict. Grandfather...I’m the one who should be saying sorry to you.”

“...All the same, I could not just leave you to suffer alone,” Nasir rebutted. “You are the only family I have left. I promised your father on his deathbed that I would keep you safe. That is not a promise I can abandon easily.”

“Even so...to have followed me onto Daein’s side…” Ena mused sadly. “...Was it worth it? All of what I’ve done, just to see Rajaion sane one last time? This whole war and all the people that died because of it…”

“...You make it sound as though you were the cause of the war,” Nasir noted. “That’s not true in the slightest. Ashnard would’ve had his war whether you had been brought to his heel or not. You and Rajaion were merely tools to him. Tools to dispose of when your usefulness had run out. To him, you were not a vital asset. ...That is the truth of the matter.” 

“...I suppose you have a point,” Ena murmured, knowing that her grandfather was right. Her presence would not have mattered, and Ashnard did not value her hugely, as seen when he sent her to be executed after she was defeated in Nevassa. But even so… “What would Rajaion have thought of all I’ve done?” she suddenly said.

“...That I cannot truly answer,” the white dragon replied. “For I am not our crown prince. But...I know he would not blame you in the slightest. Do you not recall what he said in his dying words?”

“His dying words?” Ena said, recalling a few hours earlier when her beloved was still alive. Then, she realised what her grandfather was referring to.

_“You were made...to suffer...because of me…I’m sorry…”_

“He...blamed himself?”

“Indeed he did. You and he were a very close couple. It’s only natural he would feel remorse for making you side with Daein,” elaborated Nasir. “And I know he wouldn’t want you blaming yourself for your part in the war. So please, Ena. Put those thoughts to rest.”

“...I will, Grandfather,” Ena decided, knowing that would be what the Goldoan prince would want her to do. “For Rajaion’s sake, I will not lose myself to despair.” Then, to her grandfather’s surprise, she hugged him once more. 

“Ena?” the white dragon uttered, not quite expecting the move.

“...Thank you for making me realise this, Grandfather,” the pink dragon said to him gratefully. “Hopefully...with such encouragement, I may well be able to move on from his death in future.”

“Maybe so,” Nasir replied. “But do not move on too quickly. You did love him deeply. You should be allowed time to mourn, especially when we return to Goldoa.”

“...Of course I will mourn my love's death, Grandfather. But...I'll see to it I don't become a burden in the process,” said Ena, and strengthened the embrace between her and Nasir.

They could have stayed in that position all evening. But the elder dragon was brought to attention by the odd look the soldiers gave them as they exited the makeshift morgue.

“Ena…” Nasir said, aware of the scene. “You can...let go now.”

“...I don’t want to,” Ena replied defiantly. “You’re never too old for hugs. That’s what Rajaion always said.”

“...Our prince has certainly had his influence on you,” the older dragon remarked. “You certainly became a lot more assertive after you and he got close with one another. And a lot less shy, for that matter.”

“He helped me overcome my social anxieties, and aided me in forging new friendships,” elaborated the pink-haired dragon. “I will be forever indebted to him.”

“Indeed…” murmured Nasir. “We will indeed miss our dear prince. He looked after his people and was quick to question all that was wrong with our society. Perhaps he would’ve taken initiative to solve those problems if he did ascend to the throne...”

“...I guess we can only wonder at this point,” Ena wistfully responded. “He had such ambitions...A shame they will go to waste now.”

“Mmm,” muttered Nasir in agreement. "But...maybe they won't die out completely. Not while you're still alive. Try your best to keep those ideals of his prominent, as a way of keeping his legacy alive."

"...I'll do my best to do so, Grandfather."

They spent another while in each other’s embrace, with Nasir occasionally patting his granddaughter in empathy for her loss. Ena kept her embrace as strong as it had been, appreciative of the shoulder her grandfather was giving her to lean on. 

“...Grandfather?” she said eventually.

“Yes, Ena?”

“...I’ve missed you,” the pink dragon confessed. “These tender familial gestures...We haven’t really had moments like that since we’ve reunited.”

“...You’re correct. We haven’t,” Nasir realised. “Your mind was elsewhere at the time. But you are at least now free of those burdens.”

“...May we catch up on those moments some time in the future?” Ena proposed. “I’ve missed those days, when I was still a child and your visits were rare, but always something to look forward to.”

A memory came back to her of that time.

* * *

_“Grandfather!" a much littler, younger and carefree Ena cried out, running up to her approaching azure-haired grandparent._

_“Hello, Ena," greeted Nasir, with a smile on his face. "It's good to see you again." Taking his granddaughter in his hands, he lifted her up into the air with the hug. "Goodness, you're getting taller by the day. I won't be able to lift you up like this anymore if you keep growing at this rate."_

_"Well...Father did call me a big girl the other day," replied the little dragon peppily. "And he also said that I’d be fully grown by the time I become two hundred years old. But that’s still so far away…” she lightly complained._

_“Do not worry,” assured the white dragon. “Patience is a virtue, Ena, and growth is something you will have to be patient with. But I have no doubt that you will blossom into a beautiful young woman when the time comes.”_

_“Aw, thank you, Grandfather,” Ena said somewhat shyly. “You’re always so encouraging…”_

_“I only want to see my granddaughter happy,” Nasir replied. “But I have something else to say. While growing up is an alluring prospect...remember your childhood. When you become older, you will look back on these days as your golden years. So...how about we do something together? In order to make some memories?”_

_“Yes, please, Grandfather!” Ena joyfully requested. “I want to ride to the plains on your back!”_

_“Is that so? ...That was quick. But of course. Anything for my darling granddaughter,” accepted the older dragon. “Now stand back. I wouldn’t wish for you to be crushed.” Knowing what would happen, Ena stood back and watched, as a white light washed over her grandfather and he transformed into his titanic form of a white dragon._

_It was always awe-inspiring for the young dragon to watch the transformation of either her father or her grandfather, especially the latter. To her, his pristine white scales looked angelic, like something from the heavens, and his sheer size was only too enviable to a child like her. Her own dragon form would barely go a third as high as Nasir’s form. (Though she was now able to look down on her parents when they were in human form. That, to her, was an achievement.)_

_Once transformed, Nasir lowered a scaled hand down to where Ena was, and she eagerly leapt onto it. Then, he bent over, and levered his hand to the back of his neck. With his granddaughter mounted, his huge wings lifted him into the air, and he flew away to the Elpis Basin._

* * *

“Maybe we could,” Nasir said. “I suppose I wouldn’t have any immediate obligations upon returning. Not unless His Majesty makes a demand of me. But maybe we could spend a while together, reliving old memories and making new ones.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Ena said, managing to break a small smile. She was about to continue the conversation, but then a growl emanated from her stomach. This did not go unnoticed by her grandfather.

“...It appears you’re hungry,” he commented. Then, something else occurred to him. “When was the last time you ate?”

“...I think it was…this morning,” Ena recollected. “...It has been a while.”

“...Is that so?” The pink dragon thought she could hear slight disapproval in her grandfather’s voice. “...It’s fortunate there’s a banquet tonight, to celebrate Crimea’s victory. There should still be plenty of food left. By the sounds of it, it’s a party that will probably go on into the night.”

“In that case, I will head there,” Ena decided, and began to head in the direction of the castle’s dining hall, which she remembered from the occupation of the Crimean capital. When they arrived, it was as Nasir suspected: there was still plenty of food of all sorts to choose from. Once both dragons had chosen their meals, they looked around at the various tables. Many were occupied with chatting soldiers and some noblemen, many of whom were unfamiliar. But one of the tables was the group of merchants that aided the Crimeans over the course of the war. Aimee, Muston, Jorge, Daniel and Ilyana were there, with the latter guzzling food by the plateful. Then Ena spotted Ike and Mist at one table. The latter locked eyes with her, and waved over at the pair. Taking the cue, the pink dragon walked over to their table and sat down with them, Nasir following suit.

"Hello, Nasir. And Ena," Ike greeted, taking his attention away from his meal, which the pink dragon noticed was mostly meat-based. "Glad you could join us. I was getting worried there for a bit when I didn't see you two with the rest of us."

"You needn't have worried," reassured Nasir. "There was merely some...personal business we had to attend to."

"...Oh…" Mist said in realisation, which was noted by Ena. "I know what you mean…"

"You...do?"

"Indeed," her grandfather told her. "You said your father was slain by the Black Knight, didn't you, Ike?"

"...I did," the general confirmed. "...I suppose the pain of losing your mate must've been just as painful...I'm sorry for your loss, Ena. Maybe if we'd realised sooner that Ashnard's mount was your loved one…"

"It's fine, Sir Ike," the red dragon responded. "Whether I want to admit it or not, Rajaion was firmly under Ashnard's control at the time. I...don't blame you for opposing him. It may well have been what Rajaion wanted, to have him cut down in his maddened state so he couldn't harm anyone else. He was always one to be selfless…"

"He sounds like such a nice person," observed Mist. "It's sad that he's not here anymore…"

"Mmm...But let us not get bogged down in sadness," Ena then said. "This is meant to be a happy occasion, after all. I do not wish to quench this feeling of victory with my woes. I must focus on the joy now that Ashnard is dead and Crimea is free. That's what my love would've wanted as well…for me to focus on the brighter side of life."

"He's right. We all should do that," the young girl said. "If we only see the bad things in life, then it's easier to lose ourselves to despair. Father would only want us to be happy. So we'll remember that much going forward, rather than mope about his loss all the time. Won't we, Ike?"

"Yes. Hopefully," the mercenary said. With his response uttered, he dug into his portions of meat. Both Ena and Nasir decided to follow suit with Ike and eat their dinner. 

“Actually…” Ike began again, after a mouthful of ham. “I want to tell you two something. Before we all leave tomorrow, I’d like to wish you all a farewell, between each individual that joined up with us over the course of this war.”

“...Of course. I’ve no problem with that,” Nasir replied.

“Nor do I,” Ena seconded. “It would give us a chance to properly thank you for all you’ve done for the two of us.”

“Good. I am grateful to you both,” Ike continued. “It would be nice to have a send-off to all those that fought alongside us during this war.”

“Indeed,” Nasir concurred.

Ena couldn’t think of anything else to add, so she returned to her meal, as did the other three diners at the table. After a while, the blue-haired general finished his meal, got up and left the room(to find Soren, Mist had insinuated). Meanwhile, the pink dragon had finished her fifth serving, and went up for a sixth. As she returned, she overheard Nasir talking to Mist.

"All the power that is possessed by the dragon tribe demands a lot of energy to use it," the white dragon was explaining. "Hence why Ena and I have eaten much tonight. Although...the amount that I've eaten so far would probably be considered a regular meal for most dragons." 

"Wow, really?" Mist said incredulously. "Even Ike would struggle to eat that much…"

"Us dragons have a metabolism far quicker than any laguz or beorc," Ena continued, knowing what the two were talking about as she sat down once more. "One dragon laguz could eat a meal that would feed a beorc family with ease, and sometimes even more than that. Rajaion, especially, could eat many plates' worth of food. Even the amount of what I've eaten tonight would be surpassed by his own portions, were he here with us tonight."

The mention of her deceased mate compelled her to stop the conversation there and dig in to her next portion. That was finished not long after, and Ena felt fullness encroaching on her. 

“...I think that’s me finished,” she announced to her two fellow diners. “I’ll be in the ballroom if you need me, Grandfather.” With that, she got up and headed to the aforementioned room.

It was a fairly extensive place, decked out with elegant chandeliers and marble pillars. Victory bunting and other decorations had been hung up, and many people were dancing in tandem with the music emanating from the musicians playing their respective instruments. The light was a slight surprise to Ena as she stepped into the room. When Ashnard occupied the castle, the light around the place seemed to fade once he took over. Now that he was vanquished, though, it appeared to return. It may have been a figment of the pink dragon’s imagination, but she thought this to be true. Perhaps it was a sign that Crimea was in good hands with Princess Elincia. _She is a woman of peace,_ Ena thought to herself, thinking back to her interactions with the verdant-haired royal. _She will guide her kingdom down the right path. I’m sure of it._

Now that she looked again, Ena realised that said princess, in her striking orange dress, was among those doing the waltz in time with the playing of the violins. She was with Geoffrey, who followed every move of the dance with her. Nearby was Lucia, on the lookout for any potential drunkards who got too close to her liege. Elsewhere, the dragon noticed a few more faces from the Crimean liberators. Largo and Calill were also on the dance floor, as were Ranulf and Lethe(though the orange-furred cat didn’t look to be too happy in her current position). Off to the side, she noticed Bastian monologuing eloquently to a fellow count, as well as Makalov taking a swig of some wine and then being berated by Marcia for indulging in drink too much for one evening. 

There was, however, one detail about some of the people in the room that Ena took note of, with a hint of envy.

A number of the interactions were men chatting with women. Many were men offering the lady a dance, and often they would be accepted, with that pair holding hands as they went out to the dance floor. And then there was Gatrie, who was turned down by most of the available women in the room. Ena also spotted a few of those couples make their way out of the ballroom, with their hands interlocked. Some men, she’d noticed, were flushed in the face, like they had drank too much wine. The dragon laguz couldn't resist her lips pursing together.

 _Letting alcohol fuel their desires,_ she thought with slight disgust. _Rajaion and I never needed such a catalyst to fuel our relationship._ She never really liked alcohol, and neither did her fiancé, both only drinking the beverage when they had to during special occasions and banquets not unlike this one. But she was certain that no movement of love between the two of them in the past had been influenced by alcohol. It was only the compassion for each other that did. 

“There are few events as wonderful as a dance. Wouldn’t you say, Ena?”

“Hm?” Ena was slightly startled by her name being called out, and turned to see who it was. “Oh...it’s just you, Grandfather.”

“The dance hall…” said Nasir, as he looked out at the couples dancing. “...What memories this brings back. I met your grandmother at a dance just like this one. Looking back, it seemed to be a blur between us meeting and us marrying; it was only around a year. It might have seemed a hasty choice to anyone else, but...I knew I loved her the moment I set my eyes on her.”

“...Mmhm,” murmured Ena, not entirely listening to her grandfather’s recollection. Truth be told, she didn’t want to listen to it. Not at a time when she felt the way she did right now.

“And if I know dances...I know that at least one of the couples here in this room are going to end up smitten with one another,” Nasir observed. “I wonder who? Maybe Princess Elincia and General Geoffrey...perhaps. We will find out in time if that is who she chooses to be her king.”

“...” Ena didn’t say anything. She merely looked out at the couples dancing.

“...You wish you were with them, don’t you?”

“...Yes,” she admitted sadly. “I only wish I could feel the joy that these people feel...but I cannot bring myself to do it. Rajaion was the only partner I could envisage myself with. I said time and again to him that he was a one of a kind man, and how lucky I was to be marrying him. But...what now, now that he is gone from us? Will I...ever feel that happiness again?”

“...It’s a hard thing to say, Ena,” Nasir replied, with a hint of him trying to be delicate around this matter. “One’s mate passing away is a hard thing to get over. But...do not act like it is the end of the world. You are still young, Ena. There are many more years for you to find your purpose in life. As I said earlier, now is not the time to give into despair.

“And...you know what the blossoming of love is like. The couples on the dance floor...they may well experience those same feelings you once did. We should feel happiness for them, should their feelings prevail. Envy...is not a good emotion to harbour.”

“...Of course, Grandfather. I had no intention of harbouring ill towards them. Even so…” Ena still felt despondent. “I don’t wish to be here any longer. This sight...only reminds me of what I've lost.”

“...I understand,” the white dragon empathised. “Away we head, then.”

From there, the two dragons walked towards a more quiet area of the castle where the partying wasn’t so loud. Specifically, they headed to the sleeping quarters that had been set aside for the army to sleep for this night. Ena and Nasir had been allocated their own room, as had other members of the Crimean Liberation Army that had close interaction with Ike and Princess Elincia over the course of the war. Only a few others had decided to call it a night as early as this.

When she reached the room, Ena realised how tired she was when she let out a yawn. _It has been a long and arduous day, both emotionally and physically,_ the dragoness thought to herself. _Some sleep would be all too welcome._ Feeling her energy drain with sleepiness, she tiredly dressed into her nightgown. From there, she lay down in the bed and felt her eyelids droop more and more as she pulled the covers over her.

“You must be tired,” commented Nasir. “I’ve rarely seen you falling asleep so easily.”

“Mmm...today was tiring,” mumbled Ena sleepily. “A bed is a godsend to a tired one...” She then closed her eyes.

“...Of course,” the older dragon said. “Goodnight, Ena. Sleep well.”

“...You too, Grandfather.”

* * *

Ena had hoped that would be the last of today, and she could wake up tomorrow refreshed with her love’s passing behind her. 

But...one more event happened that night.

She was awoken by movement in her belly.

Ena was drowsy, and wasn’t in the mood to be awoken right now. But as she felt her hands down to her stomach and caressed it, her mood changed as she remembered Nasir’s words from earlier. 

_Of course...How could I have forgotten about you?_ she thought, silently kicking herself for forgetting what most people would consider to be the most important thing in a relationship. _Rajaion has left me with the best gift he could have given me. In these circumstances...I should be glad to have you with me, still alive even after all of our near death experiences._ Ena couldn’t suppress a smile. _I shall create a happy future, if only for you..._

_...My child._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be my first multiple chapter story, rather than the oneshots I have been doing in the past. And it dips into most of what I would see as a vast font of fanfiction ideas: alternate universes. What if a certain character was an ally instead of an enemy? What if another character was thrown into the mix? And what if a certain character fated to die in the original story never actually did?
> 
> This is a fanfiction canonically different to what happens in-game. Which is alright. That's done all the time on here. As for what that change is...I don't want to reveal what the change is right away. But I reckon it'll be figured out easily enough. The next chapter I have planned reveals what it is anyway. I don't exactly intend for it to be a well-guarded secret anyway.
> 
> As for an upload schedule...I'll be honest, don't expect one. I can't say for sure when the next chapter will be out, or the next one after that. All I will say is that I will try to upload stories when I can. Or when I feel like it. But that's not to say that I won't veer off to do another fanfic. I do have other ideas in the works that I hope to publish in future. 
> 
> Part of the fear of uploading this is the idea that I might lose interest, or personal life will occupy my time, and therefore leave a long period between chapter write-ups, like what has been done with other pieces of fanfiction in general. I can't say I blame those that feel they are too busy to devote time to their fanfic, or feel they have hit a brick wall with ideas, or just don't have the will or interest to write another chapter. All the same, I hope I can at least finish this fanfic.
> 
> But that's enough negativity. I can say for definite that I have begun work on the next chapter. And while I don't have every chapter planned out, I have a good amount of ideas for this story. 
> 
> Anyway, that's all I can think of to say here. See you all in the next chapter.
> 
> \----
> 
> Edit(02/10/2020) : Changed the spaces between the paragraphs to be smaller, akin to what I've seen on other fanfics. I will also change my other works to fit this format.


	2. The Pulse of Hope

_A lone room with a bed in it._

_That was what greeted the young man with long dark hair and pointed ears when he woke. Strangely, he felt refreshed, like he had just enjoyed a luxurious hot spring bath followed by some warm cocoa. He looked around the room, wondering where he was._

_Wherever this place was, something felt...ethereal about it. Like this was...somewhere sacred._

_The man therefore got up from his bed, and onto his feet. He saw that he was wearing his garb that he always wore, complete with his usual boots. Trying to remember his condition when he had fallen asleep, he found he couldn’t quite recall the exact moments when that had happened. Shrugging it off with the notion that he would recollect them at some other point, he began to walk out of the room._

_When he did, he saw that there was a staircase leading upwards. But to his surprise, there were no downwards steps, meaning this path could only have led to the dead-end room he had just woken up in. Unsure of what this meant, he decided to climb the stairs to see where they led to._

_Up and up they went in a helix, with seemingly no sign of an end. But the man persevered. It would take a lot more to tire him out than a climb like this. Eventually, as he climbed higher, he could see a faint light beginning to shine on the darkened walls of the place. This light became brighter as he climbed further, until soon an entrance into the open became apparent. The man walked up into the light...and out into the open air._

_It felt refreshing up here. There was a faint pleasant breeze at the top of the tower, and the blue sky with milky white clouds was a breathtaking view. There weren’t any physical features, however, which seemed odd and would’ve normally begged the question of “Where is this?”_

_But that thought vanished from the young man’s mind when he looked to the centre of the tower’s top._

_A woman stood there. She was a woman of middle age, with flowing dark green hair. The sight of her made the man’s eyes widen in shock, and it took him a while to find his voice._

_“...M-Mother…? ...Is that you?”_

_“Ah, Rajaion…” the woman said, smiling as she and the man looked at one another. “...My son. It has been much too long.”_

_“Mother! Oh, Mother, it’s really you!” Rajaion, the long-haired crown prince of Goldoa, cried out, and ran towards her. His mother embraced him, and the two hugged one another tenderly._

_She was Queen Karmeis of Goldoa: the wife of King Dheginsea, and the mother of Rajaion, Almedha and Kurthnaga. Long ago, she had been one of the warriors blessed by the goddess in the fight against the dark god more than eight hundred years ago. After that, she managed to win over King Dheginsea due to her battling prowess, and the two fell in love and married soon after. She bore him three children, but sadly she had died giving birth to Kurthnaga, and she was sorrowfully missed by both her family as well as the people of Goldoa._

_“...It’s good to see you again, my son,” Karmeis said to her son. “You’ve grown into a fine, handsome young man. You look just as your father did when he was your age.” She cupped his chin, looking at her son with pride and achievement._

_“...Mother...I’ve missed you,” the dragon prince said, trying his hardest to keep emotion out of his voice. It hadn’t exactly been a secret that he had been quite close to his mother, and had been among the saddest to see her go._

_“...There, there,” soothed the former dragon queen. “It’s alright. Mother’s with you once more.”_

_“...Mother…” Rajaion embraced his mother once more. That soothing, caring tone, as well as her comforting scent - he had certainly missed her since she had passed away._

_Then, a thought struck him._

Wait a minute...if she’s here in front of me, and talking to me...then, why am I able to suddenly interact with her? It’s almost like I’m…

_Then it all came back to him. The hazed insanity he’d felt as a Feral One, the pain he’d felt after that battle, and...the farewell he and Ena shared._

_Rajaion couldn’t stifle his gasp of realisation._

_“What’s wrong, Rajaion?” asked a concerned Karmeis._

_“...Mother...if we’re here talking right now...then…” The Goldoan prince couldn’t bear to utter the next words. “...D-Does that mean I...I’m…?”_

_“...It’s...difficult really to put this into words,” his mother mysteriously said. “You are what they would consider to be deceased...and yet at the same time you aren’t.”_

_“Deceased...and yet not deceased?” Rajaion was quite perplexed. “Mother...what do you mean?”_

_“Perhaps the best word to describe you right now, my son, is...in stasis,” the dragon queen decided to say. “This place here...is neither our Tellius nor is it the afterlife. It is a realm between the two that is neither life nor death.”_

_“Is it indeed?” Rajaion looked around him. There was blue sky and clouds as far as the eyes could see. But there didn’t appear to be any landscape visible from this vantage point. Not to mention, the ethereal feel he had felt inside the tower remained out here too._

Mother was never one to lie, _he thought to himself._ What she says must be the truth.

_“...What are you doing here then, Mother?” the prince asked. “Are you in stasis too?”_

_“No,” Karmeis answered. “I am most definitely dead, and have been for more than one hundred and fifty years.”_

_“…” Rajaion looked down, in painful remembrance of that day. The day that should have been a day of happiness, the day his younger sibling would be born. It did happen that way. But the unexpected death of his mother in childbirth was a shocking, painful stab to the heart. Almedha had been inconsolable, and he had been tight-lipped for days. The emotional pain of losing family was too much to bear, and worse than any physical wound upon the body he had experienced._

_“But know this, Rajaion. I have been watching over you, your father, Almedha and Kurthnaga all of this time while I’ve been gone. I have seen all you have done, all you have accomplished and all of what you have planned to do. ...It seems you’re quite the loving dragon, aren’t you?” the queen said, a serene smile on her face._

_“...Loving dragon?” the dragon prince echoed._

_“Of course. I’m talking about Ena. You know, Foritaph and Larimara’s daughter. Your fiancée,” Karmeis explained. “You’ve been as loving as a proper mate to her, even if the two of you never did actually marry. You’ve shared so many tender moments and caring heart-to-hearts with her, more so than most married couples on Tellius. So much so that...you and her have carried a little secret with you for twenty long years. And I happen to know just what it is.”_

_“Wait, you know about that?!” Rajaion cried out, knowing what she was implying. “But...B-But I…! We…! That wasn’t meant to…!”_

_“There is little need to get flustered,” Karmeis said calmly, placing her hand on Rajaion’s shoulder. “And you have no need to be ashamed of your little sin. A child is a most beautiful creation, and I am glad that you and Ena were able to conceive one. At least your child is the way you will leave your mark on the world.”_

_“...Ena...All this time, she’s been carrying my child,” the black dragon realised. “All this time, all while I’ve been feral, all while she was looking for a way to restore me, all while she was a Daein general…!” He felt tears prick at his eyes, but this time he did not resist their descent down his cheeks. “What a horrid ordeal I’ve put her through...It’s all my fault that she’s been made to suffer for twenty whole years! And even after I was restored, I only was able to say one last goodbye to her! That...that wasn’t supposed to be the case…”_

_“Rajaion…” Karmeis looked at her son, pity present in her gaze._

_“We...we were meant to be mates...we were meant to live together,” moped the prince tearfully. “We were meant to have children...grandchildren...maybe even great-grandchildren...and we were meant to be the king and queen of Goldoa. We would open up Goldoa to the world and usher in a new era of peace, rather than the broken one that plagued Tellius. But...but now she has to march on alone, without me…all because I was too weak. And now our child will have to grow up without its father...” He looked at his hand in despondency. “What sort of lover am I? A failure, that’s what!”_

_“Rajaion. Please, calm down,” urged Karmeis. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”_

_“Nothing?! But Mother, it’s my fault that Ena - “_

_He was promptly shushed by a finger to the lips._

_“Shh shh shh,” the dragon queen comforted. “Loathing yourself like this...that’s not the Rajaion I know. What would Ena think of you beating yourself up like this?”_

_“...She wouldn’t want to see me like this,” Rajaion admitted, knowing what his fiancée was like. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I went to Daein to save Almedha, fell into Ashnard’s trap and was turned into a feral beast. And it was because of me that Ena came to Daein and submitted to Ashnard for my sake! Therefore, it’s my fault that Ena suffered as she did!”_

_“But it simply isn’t,” Karmeis rebutted, maintaining a calm demeanour as opposed to her son’s guilty rantings. “Tell me this, Rajaion. Why did you go to Daein, nineteen years ago?”_

_“...To save Almedha from Ashnard’s clutches,” Rajaion answered, before remembering something. “And her son, as well.”_ Oh yeah. I almost forgot...Almedha has a son. ...But that’s not the main point here, _he dismissed._ I’ll dwell on that thought later.

_“So would you say then that if Ashnard did not hold his and Almedha's son hostage to lure you, you would have stayed in Goldoa?”_

_“I…” The dragon prince paused, thinking of an answer to this. “...I probably would’ve. It was only a few months until the wedding when Sister told me about her situation. It was enough of an emergency that made me go. I wouldn’t have gone otherwise.”_

_“...I see. And would you say it was Ashnard who turned you feral and used you as a mount like a wyvern?” Karmeis questioned._

_Rajaion noticed she was becoming somewhat angry, probably at the thought of him being used as a mount._ Please don’t get cross, Mother, _he thought to himself_. You’re scary when you’re angry.

_“Yes. It was Ashnard who used me as a mount,” he answered. “He got some deranged scientist to make the serum to turn me feral.”_

_He realised the chill he felt at the back of his spine upon remembering that horrid, tortuous time. Quickly, he tried to will those memories out of his head._

_The prince’s mother breathed, regaining her composure somewhat. “Then would you say then that it was because Ashnard had captured you that Ena came running with the hope of saving you? And finally, would you say that it was Ashnard that forced you to take part in his battles, thereby leading to your fall at the hands of the Crimean Army?”_

_“...Yes and yes.”_

_“There. Do you not see?” Karmeis reasoned. “It was that blackheart Ashnard who is responsible for your and Ena’s woe. You are not responsible at all, my son. Your heart is pure, as pure and good-intentioned as the most pious man in the land.”_

_“...Is that really the whole truth, though?” Rajaion wondered doubtfully._

_“Whatever the truth is, don’t blame yourself at all for what happened,” Karmeis encouraged. “Ena wouldn’t wish to see you blaming yourself. Nor would Kurth. And nor would I.”_

_“...If that’s what you want for me, Mother...then I will try to look past it,” Rajaion replied._

_“...Good,” came the Goldoan queen’s reply._

_Silence reigned over the next while, as Rajaion wondered what to say next. Karmeis stood patiently, as if waiting for him to continue with his questions. Not wanting to keep her waiting, the dragon prince racked his memory for something to say next, based on the conversation that he and his mother had just had. Eventually, he arrived at something._

_“So...what happens now?” he wondered. “I’m in stasis as you say, Mother. ...But why am I not outright dead?”_

_“...It is a most curious phenomenon,” Karmeis replied. “The reason you are not fully dead is because...your soul does not fully embrace death. Part of your soul has accepted what has happened. But...another part of your soul does not. It fights the part that has decided to give up. It wants to keep going. Perhaps the way I should describe it - and probably what you want to hear - is that it wants to live on.”_

_“...Live on?” After Rajaion uttered these words, the realisation that came over him was an unbelievable revelation. “...Wait a minute! Do you mean that I can - ”_

_“You can, if you choose to embrace that side of your soul,” the dragon queen told him. “What has happened to you, my son, is something truly exceptional. It is a rare occurrence that someone who has suffered the extent of injuries as you have experiences this. The majority, like I have, die as normal from their grievous wounds. But...it has happened in history that a small number of people, be they beorc or laguz, have thought to have passed on, given their deathly wounds, and have been left for dead. But...miraculously, against all odds, they have survived. I can speak of this from hearing the testimony of warriors who have experienced what you are experiencing now. ...You are truly fortunate, Rajaion. If you have the will to return to Tellius...then you will be able to. That is...if that is what you wish.”_

_“It is, Mother! It is!” Rajaion responded eagerly. “I want to return to the side of Ena! She and I were destined to marry and raise our family together! This fate of me dying due to actions beyond my control...that can’t be my end. I have to return! I have to fulfill my purpose and ascend to the throne! I have to be the one that uses my power to bring peace to Tellius once and for all!”_

_“...That’s my son,” Karmeis smiled. “You have the spirit of a fighter, Rajaion. And it is that spirit that will compel you to return to the land of the living. But...you must act now. If you do not, that part of you that wants to live will eventually lose its spirit, and the part that has accepted death will prevail, and you would be officially deceased.”_

_“...Then I’ll act now. After all I’ve been through, a battle of the soul is not what I’m going to fall to,” stated Rajaion with determination. “I want to live. I don’t want to die. I want to live the rest of my life beside the woman I love.”_

_“There you go. Even by saying things like that, you feel more compelled to do what you say,” said the queen of Goldoa. “Your soul will inch more towards life and less towards death.”_

_“Then...that’s what I’ll keep doing,” Rajaion resolved, hope growing by the minute. “Please let me live. Goddess Ashera...if it’s you giving me this will to live on...or whoever’s giving me this will...then please let me carry on my life.” His hands were joined, like that of a person praying. Then again, that was what he was doing right now: praying that he could be given the chance to live on once more. “My beloved...let me be by her side. My people, my country, my family...please let me see them once more. I don’t want to die...not now. At some point in the future, I will pass on like all beings in this world. But please don’t let that time be now. I want to live on…for all the people I care about. Father, Brother, Sister, and Ena...please keep the sadness they would feel for my passing at bay. Please...let me live on!”_

_Then, to the black dragon prince’s surprise, a glowing light beamed from the centre of the tower’s top, atop a pedestal. Rajaion looked at it in wonderment._

_“Mother...is that what I think it is?” he asked, his heart full of hope now._

_“Indeed it is. Your will has prevailed, and a portal to the living world has opened. If you go through it, you will return to the state you were in when you last drew breath,” Karmeis confirmed. Then, she looked at her son with a mixture of fondness and slight sadness in her eyes. “...It will be a while before we see one another again. But I hope that when we do...it will be many, many centuries from now, when you have fulfilled your purpose in life and left a legendary legacy upon the land of Tellius. Until then...know that I will be watching over you and your siblings from up here.”_

_“You needn’t worry, Mother. I will give you a son to be proud of,” Rajaion promised gratefully. “So...this is it, then,” he said, walking towards the glowing platform._

_“Goodbye, my son. We will meet again in future. But until then, enjoy the life you have been granted,” Karmeis said to him. “Now...walk into the light.”_

_Rajaion did as his mother commanded. He walked onto the pedestal, and once he did, the light that surrounded him grew in intensity. The dragon prince braced himself instinctively, before relaxing when he was sure that it wasn’t harmful. Gradually, the light’s intensity grew, until eventually…_

_...all he could see was white._

* * *

Ena woke up the next morning, not long after dawn. She always had been an early riser, wishing to set a good body clock for her life, and rarely spent too much time late into the night partying. The early morning sun reminded her of the banquet last night, and the dragon realised that there would be a multitude of people receiving the hangover from hell after the amount of wine that was presumably drunk last night. _I suppose it was fortune that I avoided alcohol last night,_ she told herself. _Now I will not suffer the pain of a hangover._ She hadn’t personally experienced one herself, but from what she saw and heard, it was an awful, terrible experience. _Why would someone purposefully harm themselves just for the sake of some alcohol?_ she had wondered, and hearing about it only shied her off the booze more. She never was a fan of it, and only drank it when she had to at events and gatherings back in Goldoa. And over the last twenty years, her want to distance herself from it only grew.

The pink dragon looked over and saw that her grandfather was still asleep. She took this opportunity to get dressed, and once that was done, she headed out into the hallway outside the sleeping quarters. She was looking for a balcony to hopefully gaze out at the rising sun, like she had done with Rajaion once before during a stay at Castle Goldoa. That had been one of her favourite memories of him and her together.

_But now I won’t be able to do such things with him again,_ she realised. _Not when he’s gone._ That thought brought the despondency from yesterday back to her all over again. The fact that her love would no longer be in her life any more filled her with grief in almost an instant. Within moments, Ena found herself doubting the promises she had made to Nasir the day before.

_Can I...really get over Rajaion’s death?_ she wondered. _He was such a peerless individual...how can I? At some point, I may well get used to it. But...how long will it be? Months? Years? Decades? Centuries? I may never get over this feeling of emptiness I feel in my heart right now…_

The dragon had heard of elderly widows and widowers who could not stand life without their mate, and ended up suffering crippling depression as a result, which they usually died from. Then there were those who found life outright unbearable without their loved one in it. Sometimes, they even ended up taking their own life so that they could be reunited with their beloved in the afterlife…

_No. No. No!_ Ena silently urged herself. _I can’t be thinking those thoughts. Rajaion would never forgive me if I did such a thing. It’s a sin against the goddess...and more to the point, it’s the most depressing and least happy way out. I can’t even think of committing suicide for one minute…I’d only be seen as giving up if that was what I did._

Despite her urgings against such nasty thoughts, though, Ena still felt doubtful. _All those promises I made to Grandfather that I wouldn’t give into despair and depression...can I manage that? Oh my love, if only you were here to clear up this woeful feeling inside of me...Without you I feel like a child lost in a vast treescape._

The pink dragon wasn’t free of her woe by the time she’d found a balcony to look out at the rising sun. Immediately, though, she put those thoughts away when she saw someone else upon the balcony.

A young woman with fern-coloured hair stood, with a piece of paper in hand, speaking out to seemingly no one.

“...To you, the people of Crimea, I ask for your full cooperation in this matter. With the arrival of Gallian workers to rebuild our country in the next few days, we can hopefully forge a new path together with new bonds between our two countries. Then, the old stigmas will gradually crumble, and more and more people will see the Gallian nation for what it is: not a nation of suspicious, alien beings, but a country of ordinary people with similar ideals to our own.”

Following her rehearsal that left a watchful Ena rather impressed, Princess Elincia let out a breath in exhaustion.

“Goodness...I’ll need to do more practice with Bastian later,” the Crimean royal said to herself. She turned to face the door, but found Ena standing there instead.

“...Oh. H-Hello, Lady Ena. ...H-How long have you been standing there?” Elincia’s face was quickly growing red with embarrassment. 

“Not long at all,” the dragon replied. “I only heard the tail end of your speech. ...From what I heard, it sounds triumphant. Something to do with Gallian workers, I heard?”

“It’s a speech for my coronation,” explained the princess. “I will be crowned queen of Crimea in two weeks’ time. Until then, I have to practice this speech that Bastian has written for me. I’m amazed it only took him a night to write this…”

“I do apologise for walking in on something this secretive,” apologised Ena. "I was only looking for a balcony."

“It’s perfectly alright,” reassured Elincia. “This speech will be spoken anyway. It really doesn’t matter. ...Well, actually, I would prefer if you kept its contents secret…if only for the time being.”

“Of course I will,” obliged the dragon.

“Thank you, Lady Ena.”

“You’re welcome. ...Say, about that speech...I heard a bit about forging bonds with Gallia,” Ena recalled. “Is that what you plan to do?”

“Yes. It was an idea that Ranulf proposed, and that King Gallia and I will implement,” Elincia answered. “After I officially ascend to the throne, workers from Gallia will arrive to rebuild the towns and villages that have been destroyed by Daein during the war. That way, the smallfolk will be able to see that the laguz are normal people like beorc. Then they can no longer regard them with suspicion, and then we can finally make headway on breaking down old stigmas.”

“I see…” Ena murmured. “...That’s a brilliant idea, actually. There will be less transparency between the two peoples now. Then once you’ve established that bond, you can perhaps move to establish a bond with the bird tribes. Soon, the reasons for both beorc and laguz for hating each other will diminish more and more.”

“Indeed,” the princess said. “I’ve talked to King Tibarn, and he said he would definitely be ready to negotiate a potential alliance between us. Though, he said the biggest stumbling block was Crimea’s suzerainty with Begnion. As well as that, King Naesala seemed reluctant to the idea of an alliance between Crimea and Kilvas. ...But I mustn’t be disheartened at obstacles like this. Hopefully, with negotiations, a path forward can be found.”

“...You are optimistic, Princess,” the pink dragon remarked. “...I think Rajaion would’ve taken a liking to you.”

“Would he have?” Elincia wondered. “...What was he like, if you do not mind my asking?”

“He was brave. He had charisma. He never turned his back on those in need. He was jovial. He was always eager to try new things, and wanted to see the world. He was tactically clever, and he had a way with words which he used to spin great stories and express his love for me in many different ways. And no matter how despondent I was, he always found a way to cheer me up. That is, if his presence alone didn’t bring joy and happiness to me. I loved him very much…” Ena praised, before looking down solemnly. “...I only wish he could still be with us today.”

“...I am sorry for your loss,” the green-haired princess consoled. “He seemed like such a great man...”

“He was,” Ena replied. “But he’s gone now...I suppose his death is just one more thing I’ll have to get over.”

“...Too true,” empathised Elincia. “It seems we’ve both lost loved ones in this war.”

“...Of course,” the dragon realised. “The king and queen were among the first casualties of this war, weren’t they? ...Do you miss them?” she then asked, hoping to find common ground regarding her own situation.

“...I do,” replied the princess mournfully. “I still remember the day that Ashnard broke down the door to the throne room, and slaughtered my parents with that giant sword of his. That was a day that I certainly wish to forget. It was thanks to luck that I found the emergency passage out of the castle, found my way out to the guards, and was escorted from the gates of Melior to Gallia. Then my carriage was attacked, and…that was the day I met Lord Ike and this whole adventure began.

“But there is one thing I know for sure. It is that Father and Mother, as well as Uncle Renning, would want to see me grow up to be successful as a person. And...here I am, with their killer slain and me about to become Crimea’s queen. I...can’t say for sure if they are proud of me. But...knowing them, they probably are. ...Oh dear, forgive me, Lady Ena. I didn’t mean to go on about my own woes.”

“No, it’s perfectly fine,” Ena assured. “I’d just like to ask one more question. ...Have you gotten over the death of your parents?”

“...Not entirely,” admitted Elincia. “I still recall their gory deaths visibly, and sometimes I wake up from nightmares regarding that image. But...my grief is not as bad as it was. Time is a great healer, as they say.” She then looked at Ena. “...I presume you are asking about this in relation to your own loss.”

“...Yes,” Ena said. “I was wondering if your experiences could be something I could learn from. Or if you had any potential advice on how to help soothe the pain…”

“...I’m sorry to say that I have no absolute remedy for your sadness, Lady Ena,” Elincia apologised. “But...having a shoulder to lean on does help. Lord Greil and my lord Ike were willing to listen to my grief at the time. As did King Gallia. There must be some Goldoans that would listen to your woes. Your grandfather, for instance.”

“...Yes, I suppose,” Ena responded. “Thanks for your advice, Princess. I feel a bit better now.”

“That’s good to hear,” the princess replied, a smile gracing her face. 

“...Princess? Princess, where are you?” Lucia’s voice called out from the hallway. Then she appeared at the balcony door. “Princess, there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!”

“My apologies, Lucia,” said Elincia. “I merely needed some alone time to practice my coronation speech. Then Lady Ena came along and the two of us conversed for a while. You needn’t have worried.”

“Even so, Princess, I’d appreciate it if you told me beforehand,” Lucia reprimanded.

“You were asleep when I rose. Since we reunited, you’ve always felt compelled to guard me. But in doing so, you’ve run yourself ragged." Elincia's tone sounded concerned. "Please, Lucia, relax. The war is over. There is nothing to worry about now. There are no enemies in this vicinity.”

“...If you insist,” Lucia reluctantly submitted. “Princess, they’re beginning to serve breakfast. I suggest we head down there.”

“Yes. I am feeling peckish somewhat,” accepted Elincia. “I will head down with you. Lady Ena, will you accompany us?”

“...Hmm...I think I’ll have breakfast with Grandfather instead,” declined Ena. “But your offer is appreciated, Princess.”

“Very well. Thank you for your conversation,” Elincia said gratefully. “It was pleasant, enjoying the morning sunrise with you.”

“...And the same with you,” Ena replied. Looking at the horizon, she could indeed see the light of the rising morning sun now. 

“Come, Lucia. Let us go,” the princess requested, and the duo left for the dining hall.

Ena had decided to go to Nasir. She returned to her room, and saw her grandfather putting his boots on. He looked up at her when the door opened. 

“Ah, there you are, Ena,” he said. “I was about to go look for you. Were you with Prince Rajaion?”

“...No, actually,” Ena replied. “Though...I think I might visit him later. Certainly, before we go, I would like a private moment with him.”

“Of course. I will allow you that time,” Nasir permitted. “And I’m certain Princess Elincia would allow it as well, if we require her permission.”

“That’s who I was with, actually,” the younger dragon told him. “With the princess. We were discussing some things.”

“Were you? I see…” the white dragon said, before getting up, his boots tied. He then headed out of the room, with his granddaughter in tow.

“What were you two discussing?” Nasir asked curiously.

“I accidentally walked in on her practicing her coronation speech,” Ena answered. “...But I did promise that I wouldn’t spoil the contents of it. So I’m afraid I must keep mum on that front. At least, for now. What we did discuss was...our common ground.”

“Common ground? In regards to what?”

“...We’ve both lost loved ones,” the dragoness informed. “I asked her about the loss of her parents, and how she coped with such a loss.”

“...I see. ...But Ena, you yourself have experienced that same loss before,” Nasir reminded. “Your parents’ passing, as I saw it, left you in a visibly worse state than you look now. You wouldn’t leave your room, you wouldn’t eat - you were that paralysed by your sorrow. If Prince Rajaion hadn’t come along to console you, I fear you would’ve taken a turn for the worse.”

“...Indeed,” Ena solemnly recollected. “At the very least, though, Rajaion was there for me in my time of need. ...But he won’t be here to comfort me now...because he is the one who has passed on. Princess Elincia did say a shoulder to lean on in tough times such as that did help…”

“It is,” Nasir replied. “Talking to people about your problems will help. That old adage about a problem shared being a problem halved is no superstition. And there will be many back in Goldoa who will hopefully lend you an ear. ...Maybe even His Majesty. Prince Rajaion was his son, after all, and he himself lost his queen unexpectedly. He may well empathise with your plight.”

“...Hmm...we shall have to wait and see,” Ena said, as they entered the dining room. A number of people were already there, queuing up for their breakfast, which Oscar had cooked up with the help of the castle chefs. The dragons joined the queue, and waited as the line progressed. 

“Good morning, Ena! Good morning, Nasir!” chirped Mist, who was the Greil Mercenaries’ chef’s helper, as she served up a Crimean soldier. 

“Good morning, Mist,” Ena returned. 

“How was last night?” the young girl asked. “The party got pretty hectic…”

“I didn’t stay for too long,” Ena told her. “I went to bed not long after we had dinner together. To be fair, it was a tiring day.” _Not the exact reason,_ she thought. _But it will suffice._

“Yeah, I clocked off around an hour before midnight,” Mist admitted. “But some stayed for longer than that. Shinon challenged a load of soldiers to a drinking contest and now they all have hangovers.” She gave a little pout. “...Stupid Shinon.”

“Mmm…” Ena mumbled in agreement. _How nonsensical drunkards can be._

“There’s your porridge, Ena,” Mist said, ladling a portion of appetising-smelling porridge into the dragon’s bowl. “And here’s your share, Nasir. Enjoy it!” she added, doing the same with the older laguz’s bowl. “And come back for seconds if you want!”

The dragons sat down at a table and dug in. Ena particularly found the porridge delectable and heartwarming, and it made her forget all about her sullen mood earlier. A pick-me-up like this was just what she needed, and she couldn’t help but feel happier as a result. She gladly indulged in more servings of the delicious breakfast. _Oscar has considerable skill as a chef,_ she thought to herself. _The Greil Mercenaries are lucky to have such a skilled man in their ranks._

After breakfast was finished, Ena got ready to get up. But Nasir didn’t move at all. She was puzzled, but then he gestured for her to sit down. 

“Look around you, Ena,” he said to her. “Tell me...what do you see?”

The pink dragon did as he requested, and looked around her. She saw an array of people all revelling in the victory of yesterday. She could hear a number of conversations from where she sat. Some were about the party last night. Others were about what they would do now that the war was over. But she noticed nearly every one of them seemed cheery and optimistic. A war was over - and they knew it. 

Then she noticed something else about the people she saw. Specifically...she saw their different identities. _Is that what Grandfather wants me to point out?_ she thought to herself. 

“I see people of all nationalities, and all species,” she said. 

“...Spot on, Ena,” Nasir smiled. “That’s why this army is so memorable. Look at those people. Every single country in Tellius has a name in this army.” Ena looked out at the group. Among them, she recognised various people that represented each country as her grandfather named them out.

“Crimea.” Elincia, Lucia, Geoffrey and Bastian. 

“Begnion.” Tanith, Astrid, Marcia and Makalov.

“Daein.” Jill, Haar and Tauroneo.

“Gallia.” Ranulf, Giffca, Lethe and Mordecai.

“Phoenicis.” Tibarn, Janaff and Ulki.

“Kilvas.” Naesala and Nealuchi.

“Serenes.” Reyson and Leanne.

“And then...there’s us. The only two Goldoans, and by extension, dragon laguz in this army,” Nasir finished, gesturing to him and Ena. “But all forms of beorc and laguz are present here. The last time an army was this diverse was…” His eyebrows furrowed, as if he could not believe what he was going to say. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but...could it really have been the unified forces of the Three Heroes all those centuries ago? Of course, the political landscape was far different then, but...both beorc and laguz had to put aside their previous quarrels and band together to defeat a common foe. Just like...here.”

“A sight of unity between all nations…” Ena observed, taking in the sight of what she saw. “...Rajaion believed this was the true path to peace. With every nation on Tellius working hard to transcend the boundaries of stigmas and work together, including Goldoa...peace could maybe be achieved.”

“Hmph...it’s a good thing we’re not in Goldoa right now,” Nasir commented. “What you said could be seen as potentially slanderous to the king’s order.”

“I’ve dug myself a deep enough hole with all I’ve done during this war,” the pink dragon countered, in a somewhat Rajaion-like way. “Might as well keep going.”

“...Another instance of our prince’s rubbing off on you,” noticed her grandfather. “...But undoubtedly, this is a sight to behold. I think we had best take this in now while we can,” Nasir recommended. “The way I see it, it will be a long, long while until we see unity like this again.”

“...I wouldn’t be too sure,” his granddaughter rebutted. “For all we know, the countries might be more willing to unite from here on out.”

“Hmm…” But from what Ena could sense from her grandfather’s expression, he appeared doubtful. “It’s rather too early to see it like that. From what I’ve observed over the years...peace is one of the most fragile things in this world. All it takes is one controversy, one border dispute or one mistreatment of a diplomat for all-out war to spark and for those built bridges to be set aflame. Many writers and philosophers have written about the frailty of peace...and it’s not hard to see why.

“Even so...peace between beorc and laguz is my dream, as well as the dream of many other people in this world. And if this does result in a more harmonious world as you say, Ena...then I’m all for it.”

“...I hope so too,” Ena said. “Oh, Goddess, let this peace last for a good while longer…”

“Indeed. Let us hope the goddess looks down on this scene, and to the leaders that will forge the peace in the years to come,” Nasir seconded.

With that said, both dragons thought it a good time to rise from their table and head back to their quarters for the time being. They returned there, and ended up running into Ike. 

“Oh, hello, Nasir. Hello, Ena,” he greeted. 

“Greetings, Ike,” Nasir returned. “We’ve just had breakfast.”

“I see. I’m going down there myself to get some grub,” Ike told them. “But...I suppose while I’m here, I have something to tell you. I’ll tell everyone else about it as well while I’m down at the dining hall.”

“And that would be?” wondered Ena. 

“Our parting will take place at noon,” the blue-haired mercenary informed. “Could you please be in the castle courtyard at that time?”

“Of course,” obliged the pink dragon. “You’ve done much to help us. To say farewell would be the least we could do.”

“Thank you.” And with that, Ike left.

“...He is one curious beorc,” Nasir remarked, with a slight mirthful chuckle. “One would assume someone so reluctant to become general of an army this size would completely fail in his task to reclaim Crimea and defeat King Ashnard. But he is guided by his morals and convictions. I firmly believe that was one of the major factors that helped him to victory.”

“Guided by morals and convictions…” Ena murmured. “...Rajaion wasn’t all too different from our general. At least I think. But Rajaion was able to put his nobility aside to help those in need, no matter what their social standing, and did speak of the downsides of isolationism quite frequently to me. I truly believe if he had ascended the throne...then he would’ve believed most in his morals and beliefs. That was the kind of person he was.”

“...Indeed, Ike and our prince do have common ground,” recognised Nasir. “I wonder what a meeting between the two of them would’ve looked like. ...We can only dream at this point, sadly.” He put his hand on his granddaughter’s shoulder as a gesture of comfort.

“It’s alright, Grandfather,” Ena said. “You needn’t comfort me every time you mention my beloved. Really, what you said isn’t too painful. I can withstand that without breaking down.” But she still sought to change the topic. “...So we meet up at noon? That gives us some time to kill.”

“It does. Hmm, what to do…” pondered Nasir.

“I’ll head to the library,” Ena decided. “That way I can broaden my knowledge while I’m here. And there’s little doubt it will be quiet.” 

“Very well,” Nasir accepted. “See you at noon, then.”

“See you.”

And the younger dragon had left, headed to the castle’s library. She saw various familiar faces from the army as she walked there, and some of them waved to her or greeted her. Ena couldn’t help but feel somewhat touched by their kindness. _They don’t care that I’m a laguz or that I was a part of the enemy at one point,_ she thought to herself. _They don’t even care that I’m a child of mixed heritage. ...But then things like scale colouration don’t matter to people who aren’t aware of issues like that in the first place._

Shaking her head to rid herself of old memories from her youth, Ena found the library and headed inside. It was a vast place, books in shelves extending to nearly the roof of the room. There were many different categories to choose from, from fictional stories to biographies to war documents to old records. The dragon passed by the records shelf, and it occurred to her that she was probably older than most of the records recorded in this library. The thought was somewhat bemusing, to think that she, as well as many other people in Goldoa, were older than Crimea itself as a country. 

_Goldoa’s records extend much further back,_ she recalled. _And the library there was bigger than this one._ Even so, the library in Castle Crimea was still respectably large, and it was a place one could easily lose track of time in. That was something Rajaion was particularly prone to when he was still living back in Goldoa. On many an occasion he would be absorbed in a book in the library when meals were called or his presence was required. She herself spent many hours with him engrossed in various treatises and documents, and once even spent a night in front of the library’s roaring fire in Castle Goldoa with the black dragon.

_At least I have these memories...Even if you aren’t here by my side, my love, I’ll always cherish the days I had with you._

Ena walked further into the library, eventually finding the biology section. She had an interest in the subject ever since early adolescence, and was curious about the make-up of living organisms, whether they be beorc, laguz, animals, insects or flowers. Soon, she found a peculiar-looking book entitled _The Habitats of Crimea._ This drew her attention, so she took it and sat down in a nearby seating area. 

_Crimea is a land of varying soil types,_ she read. _The majority of the country is a lush green lowland sheltered by the Ertz Mountains and Gallia’s rough terrain to the southwest and the Ardana Hills straddling the Begnion border. Because of this, the land receives an adequate amount of rainfall, which promotes grass growth. However, the country's terrain is not particularly fertile, unlike in Begnion, and so much of the farmland relies on a two-field or even three-field system to truly get the best of the harvest, despite the soil. Near to Gallia, the soils are mainly limestone, and do suffer from drought occasionally due to higher temperatures over there. On higher altitudes, the country possesses rocky mountainous soils, mainly to the south of the country in the mountains, which are thin and unsuitable for crops. Instead, forestry and sheep farming are practiced in these areas._

At that point, Ena heard a scowl from nearby. She looked over her book, and to her surprise, saw Soren of all people. He too was reading a book of biology. This one was entitled _A Treatise on the Blood Make-up of Beorc and Laguz_. She looked at his expression. His brow was furrowed, and he looked anxious and somewhat perturbed. Presumably by something in the book, Ena thought to herself. 

_Should I intervene?_ she wondered. _I’ve heard that he can be blunt and rather fractious...should I try to aid him?_

“What are you looking at?” 

Within seconds, Ena’s decision had been made for her. The tactician was looking at her testily, and it was clear that he was startled and displeased by her presence.

“...Nothing,” she said to him. “Is everything alright with you, Master Soren?” As she spoke to him, Ena couldn’t help but notice the red cross-shaped mark on his forehead.

“...What’s it to you?” he rudely replied. “What do you stand to gain?”

“I don’t stand to gain anything,” the dragon answered earnestly. “It’s about helping out those in need.” _Just like Rajaion would do._ “You seem to be distressed about something.”

“It’s none of your business,” Soren snapped suddenly. “...It’s not like you’d understand my pain anyway. You don’t know what it’s like to have lived as I have lived. ...Splendid isolation, indeed. What I wouldn't have given for such a thing." With that scathing remark said, the tactician got up and left in a huff.

Ena watched him go. _How cold of him,_ she couldn’t help but think. _How Sir Ike puts up with him is beyond me. But...without his tactics, the Crimeans could not have been as successful as they were._ She had heard her grandfather, along with criticisms of his frostiness, praise the mage’s tactical intellect and skill with tomes.

But as she watched him leave, she couldn’t help but feel an odd feeling within her. Particularly, the long effeminate dark hair, as well the red mark on his forehead…

_...He somewhat resembles Rajaion._

Ena couldn’t suppress a slight laugh.

_Why am I seeing Rajaion in everyone today? First Ike and now Soren. That’s just me imagining things, surely. There are many people in this world, and black hair is a fairly common sight among both beorc and laguz. And long hair in men isn’t uncommon either. Rajaion liked his hair that way. Perhaps Soren does too._

Then her thoughts went back to the mark on the mage’s forehead. _That mark...it’s in the exact same spot as Rajaion’s mark. And mine,_ she thought, remembering her own diamond-shaped birthmark on her forehead. It was fairly commonplace amongst members of the dragon tribe to bear a mark, typically from birth. It didn’t represent anything in particular, and there wasn’t any major bickering or fighting over who had one and who didn’t. It was all certain genetics, concluded a study into those birthmarks in dragon laguz ordered by King Dheginsea back in Goldoa's younger days. 

_I wonder..._ Ena pondered, looking over at the book that Soren had left open when he left. _What got him so riled up? Perhaps it’s somewhere in this tome._ The dragon went over and picked up the book. Looking at what was written on the pages, she read an informative entry.

* * *

**_Dr Henrik Lauritz(464-501)_ **

_Dr Henrik Lauritz was the chief doctor hired by King Richter II of Crimea. His name is infamously remembered in history as a partaker in immoral experimentation. But earlier in his career, he was made popular due to his haste and speed in containing an outbreak of cholera in Delbray, which helped to save many lives and curb the spread of it to other population centres._

_Lauritz, though, was most interested in the branded race. They scared others away and struck fear in the populace, but Lauritz was intrigued by their biological composition. Perhaps too intrigued, for it would later lead to his downfall._

_It transpired in the year 501 that Lauritz was the ringleader of a group that kidnapped branded across Tellius and experimented on them for the sake of biology, according to him. This originally went unnoticed, but what was noticed was the disappearance of various citizens around Melior. Lauritz also dealt secretly with Daein laguz hunters, and paid a large sum for a few hauls of laguz's blood. It was found out that he used the blood of hunted Gallians on the kidnapped Meliorites in order to see if laguz blood would awaken in beorc should they be administered it. Those who underwent it - five men, five women, three girls and three boys, ages ranging from seven to sixty-two - described the process as tortuous and excruciating, and some even described Lauritz’s sadism in operating on them, sometimes without anaesthetic. Eventually, Lauritz was found out and brought before the crown, and promptly declared guilty of torture and murder of a number of his subjects. He was executed not long after. The whole episode caused international uproar, and forced King Richter II to step down as king. Gallian and Crimean relations remained strained for a good while after this. Begnion condemned the ordeal. Daein followed suit, but did not investigate the hunting group with whomst Lauritz paid to obtain laguz blood._

_But Dr Lauritz did make a number of scientific discoveries, even if they were obtained by cruel measures. Firstly, many of those citizens that survived his experimentation all found a mark on their bodies after being administered laguz blood. This proved his original hypothesis that beorc did indeed become branded when their bloodstreams were injected with laguz blood. Secondly, from his research notes, he stated that branded did not necessarily come about as a result of a pregnancy between a beorc and a laguz. He pointed to evidence of two beorc parents giving birth to an ordinary beorc child who later developed the brand on her skin, and declared it was a bloodline inheritance. It was his wish to further understand this mysterious race that had been condemned and hunted down across Tellius. Some theorised that he wished to strengthen the beorc race by giving rise to more branded via experimentation and gradually spreading branded blood throughout the population. However, there is no firm evidence supporting this claim._

* * *

Ena looked at what she had read, rather appalled and finding herself unable to read more. _What a horrible individual,_ she thought to herself disgustedly. _Subjecting innocent citizens to such torture… How different is that from the scientist now who made serums to turn the laguz feral? The same man who turned my beloved Rajaion into a deranged monster...I sincerely hope justice comes to him. Hopefully, as swiftly as possible._ Not wanting to see the horrid writings on those pages anymore, she returned the book to its shelf. Then she stopped, remembering why she’d lifted that book up in the first place.

_Why was Soren distressed by that?_ she wondered. _Then again anyone would be distressed after reading something like that. Experimenting with laguz blood to make branded out of beorc…_

Then Ena realised something.

_That mark on Soren’s head. Could he be branded? The scientist in that book did experiment on branded...perhaps he was distressed by that. And...based on his attitude and what he said earlier...he must've had a horrible past, most likely due to his brand. Being made to suffer because of a birthright you had no say in...I know that feeling._

* * *

_“Freak!”_

_“Weirdo!”_

_“My father says it’s impure for us dragons to mix blood. If that’s true, you’re just a mistake!”_

_“You do know that if colours are mixed enough, you just end up with a yucky grey mush? If the dragons become more like you, then that’s what’s gonna happen!”_

* * *

_Stop it! That’s all in the past,_ she told herself. _That only mattered as a child. Adults are more open and understanding. Only a few care about scale colouration. Even His Majesty approved of Rajaion’s engagement to me...and that’s saying something._

Taking her mind off the topic of race, Ena returned to her original book on the habitats of Crimea. It was a lengthy book, detailing all the wildlife that existed in the former war-ridden country, and it intrigued her greatly. There was a much greater diversity of flora and fauna than in Goldoa, and it appealed to her curious side. One that had flourished greatly with Rajaion’s own boundless curiosity.

Before the pink dragon realised it, the time had flown, and by the time she was halfway through the book, noon had come, and Nasir had come into the library to fetch her.

“It’s time, Ena,” he said. “Ike’s getting ready for the parting ceremony.” He looked at her book. “... _The Habitats of Crimea?_ I see...The country is green to an almost unnaturality, if I must be honest. It's a far cry from Goldoa, alright.”

“Indeed so,” Ena replied. “But we can discuss more on that later. For now...let us go and say goodbye to our comrades.” 

The two walked out of the library and headed for the courtyard, where they had defeated Ashnard and said their farewells to Rajaion the day beforehand. The would’ve-been dragon princess didn’t dwell on that aspect, though; this was an upbeat celebration, and the cheer could be felt among the soldiers who passed them by on the way to the ceremony. 

Ike thanked his closest comrades first. The Greil Mercenaries were the first to receive his thanks. Then the Crimeans. Then those from Begnion. Then the Gallians, accompanied by Prince Reyson and Princess Leanne, who would be visiting the forested country for a while. Then those from Phoenicis and Kilvas. And then the few Daeins who’d defected from the country of the Mad King were thanked for their aid.

Finally, Ike walked over to the area where Ashnard had been felled, to find Ena and Nasir waiting for him. The former walked up to him, ready to speak, but the general beat her to it.

“How odd, Ena,” he remarked. “We’ve been both enemies and allies.”

“Thanks to you, Rajaion was saved. And...so was I…” Ena said gratefully. _Genuinely...I realise how great it is to be free of a deranged king and a cause I have no belief in._ “...Thank you.”

“So you were with King Daein because you were trying to save Rajaion?” Ike asked.

“Yes,” Ena answered simply.

“Ena’s fiancé went missing many years ago. After Ena finally found him she came to me for help,” Nasir explained, clarifying the circumstances for the blue-haired mercenary. “She told me that Rajaion was with King Daein, and that he had been warped almost beyond recognition. Long ago, Ena’s parents died, and I was unable to do anything for her. Even so, she still came to me for help. No matter what, I had to help her…It was to that end that I used you. ...I am so sorry,” he apologised ashamedly. 

“It’s all in the past now,” Ike dismissed. “There’s nothing for you to worry about any longer.”

“...Thank you, Ike,” replied the white dragon, appreciative of the beorc’s forgiveness.

“Will Ena return to Goldoa?” Ike wondered.

“Yes,” Nasir responded. “We must take Rajaion back to his home.”

“We? Are you going too, Nasir?”

“Yes, I am. For the first time in decades, I will walk on Goldoan soil,” the elder dragon confirmed.

“That’ll be nice,” smiled Ike. “Take care of yourself. And give my regards to Kurthnaga,” he added, thinking of the young prince who had helped him out of a bind earlier in his adventure.

“I will,” Nasir promised. “...Until we meet again.” He turned and was about to walk away with his granddaughter in tow, but then Ike called out to him.

“Nasir!”

“Hm?” The dragons turned around.

“I don’t know what you thought, but I… I always trusted you,” the mercenary admitted truthfully. “Except for that one moment when I learned of your deception, I never thought of you as an enemy.”

“...Hm.” Nasir could not hide his surprise. “Even now, you defy my prediction.”

“Prediction?” Ike pondered.

“When we were sailing off the coast of Phoenicis, remember?” the azure-haired laguz reminded, making Ike think back to then. “I said that war would change how you look at things. And yet…through all that’s happened, you’ve remained the same.”

“I just can’t pretend to be anything I’m not,” replied the beorc. “I’ve never been any good at that.”

“Please stay that way, Ike. Don’t change for anyone,” Nasir advised wisely. 

“I’ll see you again, won’t I?” Ike said hopefully.

“...Yes. I’m sure of it,” Nasir replied. 

With that, the laguz and beorc departed. The former caught up with his granddaughter, who was watching the conversation from a distance.

“...What a man,” commented Nasir. “Ike...that will be a name recorded firmly in the history books. I wouldn’t be surprised if many children in the years to come are named in his honour. ...I can’t imagine he’ll like the attention.”

“...You’ve said this before,” Ena recollected. “About how Sir Ike dislikes honorifics and other titles of that ilk.”

“He does. Undoubtedly, he’ll want to return to his quiet life as a mercenary,” Nasir presumed. “But...I don’t know how he’ll wriggle out of the attention. He was the hero of the hour. Nay, the hero of the war, turning situations that many hardened warriors would wince at around in his favour and winning them. Future warriors will look at his successes and use them as inspiration for their own victories. In my opinion, though...that humility of his will be hard to recreate. He saw everyone for who they were as people, rather than for their title or heritage. That was how he was able to trust you so easily; because that is his strongest attribute. Anyone else would’ve treated you with scorn and distrust or even outright kill you because of your association with the enemy. But Ike looked past that, and sensed you were a moral person. And in the end, it paid off for him. Without you, bypassing Ashnard’s blessed armour would’ve been a lot harder. And we saw you blow the Mad King off Rajaion, giving Ike the opportunity to land the final blow to Ashnard. You played a major part in bringing him down.”

“...You don’t have to shower me in praise, Grandfather,” Ena replied. “Even if I wasn’t there, you would’ve found another way to defeat Ashnard.”

“But you were there, and you did set the stage for the final blow to him,” Nasir rebutted. “I’m certain that our prince is proud of what you did. And now, you are free from Daein’s clutches. With that...we can now go home, back to Goldoa.”

“...Of course,” Ena smiled. “Let us return home...and bring Rajaion home.”

“That reminds me,” the elder dragon recollected. “You said earlier you wished for a ‘private moment’ with Rajaion. Do you...still want that?”

“Yes,” the pink dragon replied. “Before we leave, I wish to do that.”

“In that case, we shall delay ourselves no more,” Nasir decided. “Come. Away to Rajaion we head.”

The two dragons walked to where they had left Rajaion yesterday, in the temporary mortuary. They entered, and saw the sight of numerous cadaver pouches wrapped up, ready to be transported away. Looking over at the line of coffins, Ena was surprised to see the majority of them gone. _They’ve probably been taken away already,_ she realised. _I suppose the lords have priority here, and want their dead relative back so they can give them a funeral and a burial. ...But is Rajaion still here? Please tell me they haven’t taken him away…_

“Oh, it’s you,” a voice called out. Taken out of her trance, Ena looked up to see Florian, over by one of the body bags.

“Miss Ena,” he greeted. “I presume you’re here to take away the Goldoan prince.”

“Yes, I am,” she confirmed.

“He’s here in this coffin,” Florian directed, going over to the coffin to the farthest right. “Oh, and while you’re here, Miss Ena...I’m very sorry for my...curt behaviour yesterday.”

“...” Ena didn’t respond immediately. It was clear he had more to say.

“You see…I too lost a loved one,” he informed sadly. “My fiancée was one of the fallen in this battle.”

“Really?” Ena’s eyes widened in surprise. _Just like me…_

“Yes. We would’ve been married by now if not for this stupid war. And now the Daeins have taken her from me, right at the end of it all…” The diener looked forlornly at one of the body bags. “If only I’d seen that archer...then she wouldn’t have died. But now Aurelia’s gone...I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye to her. In the blink of an eye, her life was taken from her by that damn arrow…”

“...I’m sorry for your loss,” Nasir offered solemnly. 

“As am I,” seconded Ena.

“...Thanks,” Florian responded. “...I sympathise with you, Miss Ena. When you told me the Goldoan prince was your fiancé, I...realised your grief was not unlike mine. And so you saw my attitude change like that. When you’re grieving...the last thing you wanted to be reminded of is duties you don’t really want to do. Sorting out dead bodies...I hate it. But someone has to do it.”

“...You are brave,” the younger dragon told him. “Grief is a difficult thing to overcome. Not everyone can shoulder that burden, and many give up too easily. But...we must persevere.”

“I know. I’ve been told that by my friends,” the Crimean said. “They want me to keep going. And so would Aurelia. But anyway, I’m forgetting all about you. The prince is in this coffin,” he pointed, before moving away.

“...May I ask if it is okay to open the coffin?” Ena inquired. “I wish to hold my beloved’s hand for one last time.”

“...Alright,” Florian permitted. He went over and lifted up the coffin lid, revealing the deceased black dragon.

His robes had been stitched up, though they were still bloody. His face had been cleaned, and not a blemish of dirt or blood remained on it. His eyes were closed, and from where Ena was standing, it was almost like he was asleep.

_But he isn’t. Rajaion...he’s gone for good. After this...I may well never see his face in person again…_

Ena felt the tears beginning to fall, and any sort of happiness rapidly began to fade. She did not resist them as she walked towards the right side of her beloved. Behind her, Nasir and Florian watched with empathy.

“Oh, Rajaion...you were the light of my life,” Ena began. “It was for you that I...I left Goldoa for the first time. I vowed I would do anything for you...I even worked with Daein...I worked with the very people that turned you into a crazed monster, all in the hopes that I could one day find a cure for your insanity. ...But I could do nothing. Nothing for eighteen whole years…! I couldn’t save you...I couldn’t keep our promise that we’d protect each other until death did us part...it was only thanks to Prince Reyson and Princess Leanne that I could see you like this one last time…!” She attempted to wipe the tears away, but they kept on flowing as she put her beloved’s hand in hers.

“...I want to forget this all happened...I want to believe this is all a dream,” she wept. “I told Grandfather and the others I’ll get over your death as I did my parents’...but I can’t...! The will to overcome the death of another loved one...I don’t know if I can do it a second time...especially without you by my side. ...Without you, I feel wayward and lost...I feel helpless and lonely...Oh, my love, if only this never happened...By now, we would have been happily married, and our child in my womb would have been well on the way to being born…” Ena was in too heartbroken a state to notice the shocked look on Nasir’s face at what she had said.

“My selfish heart says this isn’t enough…” she sobbed. “My selfish heart wishes you were still here...Oh, Rajaion...this is the harshness of reality, isn’t it? Its hammer has struck me once more...and the blow couldn’t be more painful. There was no man like you in this world...and there never will be.”

Ena spent the next while crying her eyes out while grasping her beloved’s hand. By now, Florian had returned to maintaining the bodies. Nasir, though, stood there, rather dumbstruck by what his granddaughter had revealed during her tearful grieving.

_A child? ...Ena...did you and Rajaion...conceive? …If this is true, then for eighteen whole years, you’ve been…unbelievable. That question will require answering. ...But for now...I’ll let her grieve._

Eventually, Ena began to calm down. She still held her fiancé’s hand tightly in her grasp, and she sniffled as the tears began to dry up. She took a deep breath, and was able to regain her composure.

“Rajaion...I’m sorry for all I’ve done…” apologised Ena, still feeling doleful. “If you’re looking down on me now...know that I’ll treasure the time we had together. Even if my name is sullied now...hopefully you’ll guide me down the right path...the path to redemption. The path forward...I can only wonder what it will contain. Without you, though...I don’t know if it’ll ever be the same again.” 

There was no response, of course. Rajaion remained as motionless as he had been this whole time. 

Part of Ena’s mind wished that he would rise from his coffin. Part of her mind wanted this all to be one horrid nightmare. Then she could wake up and return to a time when he was alive and she was living a much happier, merrier life.

_But it won’t be so. I shall have to seek a life worth living without you, my love. And...that will be rather difficult to achieve. Oh, if only there was another way…_

Ena still held the hand of the black dragon. By this stage, she had resigned herself to the thought that she would have to live the rest of her life without Rajaion in it. She had thought that she would have to make hard decisions in the years ahead about what to do with her life. Suitors that would pale in comparison to the crown prince. People endlessly grovelling to her, pretending they knew her grief and knew exactly what she was going through. And most of all, terrible, terrible loneliness. These were only some elements the pink dragon imagined would be a mainstay of life ahead of her.

Ena was therefore completely and utterly caught off guard by what happened next.

As she felt her fiancé’s hand, mostly around his wrist for what she thought would be one of the last times she would be able to do so...she felt a pulse.

The dragon could not hide her gasp.

_Did...Did I just feel a pulse? ...If I did, then...then…!_

She felt Rajaion’s hand again. Frantically, she felt his wrist, trying to locate where the pulse had come from.

This didn’t go unnoticed by Nasir. “Ena...what’s the - “ he began.

“Please, Grandfather, don’t speak,” Ena begged. “Not now. Please, please…” The white dragon was silently alarmed by her panicked voice, but chose to listen and kept quiet, trying to figure out why his granddaughter was as frantic as she was.

Ena felt his wrist again, around the vein. _Please tell me I didn’t imagine it,_ she silently pleaded. _Please, Fate, do not toy with me at a time like this! If it’s at all true...oh heavens, make it happen!_

Seconds later, Ena felt another pulse in his wrist.

_I didn’t imagine it,_ she realised. _...That means Rajaion is…! Rajaion is…!_

“Rajaion’s alive!” she declared. 

“ _What?!_ ” Florian cried out from the body bags. “Y-You’re certain?! But he was as dead as a doornail yesterday! All this time, he’s really been alive?”

“Ena…” Nasir was just as flabbergasted as the diener. “Are you certain? Is Prince Rajaion truly alive?”

“I felt a pulse in his hand,” Ena replied. “He’s alive! He has to be!”

“...Allow me to see for myself,” the white dragon said, approaching Rajaion’s coffin. Rather than take his other hand, though, he chose to feel around the carotid artery. After some time, he felt it too. “I feel a pulse as well! It’s a weak one...a very weak one. But it’s a pulse nonetheless! We need a healer, posthaste!”

“I’m on it!” Florian called, and quickly dashed out of the room.

The silence that reigned for the next while was amazing. But Ena didn’t quite listen to that. She only listened to what she felt. And what she could feel was the pulse of Rajaion beating. Of course, it was very weak, and only really was present on someone who was on their last legs. 

But that didn’t matter to Ena. What mattered was that the pulse was even there in the first place. It meant...that Rajaion was alive.

“...This changes everything,” she said, breaking the silence that had fallen. “If Rajaion is alive, then…”

“It means all of what you worried about...you no longer have to worry about it anymore,” Nasir informed her. “Your future is no longer uncertain, Ena. With Rajaion back in the picture...you can return to the joyous life that you enjoyed by his side, back in Goldoa.”

“...” Ena couldn’t say anything. She was too choked up with happiness to say anything. She therefore settled for an embrace with her grandfather. It was one of rejoicing, one of delight, but most of all, it was a tearful embrace. Ena had found a new reservoir of tears to cry, and she cried into Nasir’s chest.

They weren’t tears of sadness, though; they were tears of joy.

Joy that the man she loved more than anything in the world, thought to have died, was alive once again.

Ena looked over at him. He still remained motionless, and to many at first glance, he would appear to be dead. But...the pink dragon knew the love of her life was still alive. 

Behind the exterior of a still body...lay a spirit that was willing to live on. 

It was the spirit of a prince who returned his fiancée’s love for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus I introduce the alternate universe aspect of this fanfic that I brought up in last chapter's notes: "What if Rajaion didn't die in Path of Radiance?" It would be interesting to see how the Goldoan crown prince would interact were he alive in the years between PoR and RD, as well as the events of the latter. And maybe even after.
> 
> Though that won't be for another while. Between then and now, there will be a number of filler chapters of Rajaion and Ena returning to Goldoa and assimilating back into the society there. Now that I look back, however, I kind of wish I'd come up with this as an idea before I wrote Ebony Scales and A Dragon's Hunger as their own oneshots. I could've assimilated those two as one of these filler chapters. Oh well, though. They will be canon to this story, as well as Draconic Desire, and the events of those three fics will be referenced on occasion. And there will be more Goldoan headcanon, because there isn't enough lore about the place and so it's free real estate for me.
> 
> I hope I was able to spin the interactions between Soren and Ena well, as well as not make the truth of Soren's origins apparent immediately to her. For now, from Ena's PoV, it's merely "It's just a coincidence that he and Rajaion bear similarity, given that dark, long hair isn't too uncommon a sight." Of course, the truth will eventually see the light. The question merely will be when. 
> 
> But that's all for now. I fear if I speak much more, I'll spoil upcoming ideas that I have in mind.
> 
> Thanks for reading as always.
> 
> \----
> 
> Edits(02/10/2020) : Changed the spaces between the paragraphs to be smaller, akin to what I've seen on other fanfics. I also changed the description of Crimea's soil type to something more like that written in the Fire Emblem Path of Radiance Memorial Book. Now that I've read it as with the Radiant Dawn volume, I will hopefully have a clearer view going forward. However, there are some things in there that I might take a few liberties with, such as the age chart in there determining the ages of the branded and laguz (seriously, why didn't they just give a precise age to all the laguz in the game? If Xenoblade Chronicles can do it with their long-lasting races, why can't Fire Emblem do it? It's literally just thinking of numbers that make sense for that character). I hope, though, that this work can be fairly faithful to those books excluding the alternate universe part where Rajaion lives.


	3. The Road to Recovery

Ena walked up and down pensively outside the healer's ward, her mind a tempest of wonderment over what had just happened over the last few hours.

If everything had gone according to plan, she and Nasir probably would've been in Goldoa by now if they had flown, with the coffin carrying her beloved in tow. They would have reached Altoreth by the next morning at earliest, where they would have begun the enaction of funeral rites for their crown prince. And that would've been that.

But it wasn't to be so. Not after Ena's incredible discovery in the temporary morgue, whilst she mourned her beloved one last time before heading back to Goldoa.

The only thing she could think of right now, after all of that, was…

_Thank goodness I asked for the coffin to be opened. Thank goodness I was able to feel his hand one last time. If I hadn't, then...him being alive never would have occurred to me. That flame of hope would have been quenched, he would have been buried deep in the ground and Rajaion being alive would have been a fact forgotten about. But that never happened...Oh, Fate...I haven't enough thanks in my heart for giving me that opportunity._

But although immense relief had fallen over her, another emotion was beginning to worm its way into her: anxiety. When she and Nasir had brought Rajaion's coffin to the healer's ward, it was to the shock of the healers there that someone as gravely wounded as him and someone presumed dead for nearly a day could retain a pulse. Immediately, priority had been placed on him, and various healers gathered around with their staves to try and heal the laguz at death's door. Ena watched all of this, hopeful. The flame of hope in her heart had become a blaze, and she wanted above all else for him to survive.

"Excuse me," a voice had called out. Looking over, the dragon laguz had seen one of the healers, a black-haired woman come over to her. "You're this one's...love interest, are you not?"

"Y-Yes, I am," she had answered.

"...I see," the healer had replied. "...I am already aware he means much to you. But...would you mind waiting outside? Forgive my honesty, but we won't be able to fully concentrate with an audience watching us all of the time."

"..." A look of reluctance had crossed Ena's face. She had only wanted to stay close to her fiancé now that she knew for sure he was alive. But she had understood and said, "...Very well. But please...please heal him. I loved no one else more than him…"

"...Of course," the healer had reassured. "We will do our utmost to bring him back. If there's any chance of recovery, then we who mend must do our hardest to heal the injured, no matter how slim the chances. ...Your beloved one will be fine. I swear my healer's oath on it."

"...Thank you for all you're doing," Ena had replied. "...May the goddess's will be with you." And so she had left.

That had been a few hours ago. Now, when evening was beginning to set in, the dragon had hoped for some news regarding her fiancé's condition. But there had barely been a peep from the ward. When she had attempted to listen in, a healer had opened the door on her and requested that she not bar the entrance to the ward. Ena had apologised, and kept out of the way for the rest of the wait. She'd barely moved from her spot outside the ward, as she waited anxiously for an update.

"Ena," a voice called out. Turning around, the pink dragon saw her grandfather, who had gone elsewhere during the wait, strolling up to her. What was more of a surprise, however, was that trailing him was none other than Elincia herself.

"Grandfather," she acknowledged. "And...Princess Elincia too. ...May I ask what you're doing here?" she asked the verdant-haired princess.

"When Nasir informed me that Prince Rajaion was still alive, I was surprised to a great extent," answered Elincia. "It sounds unbelievable...He was greatly wounded and looked like he was on the verge of death when he spoke to you. To think he could still be living...I'm amazed."

"I know what I felt," Ena replied. "And I definitely felt a pulse in Rajaion's body. Grandfather did too. What I speak of is no fable."

"I don't doubt your story," the Crimean princess assured. "But...I merely wish to see for myself. ...Is Prince Rajaion in there?"

"Yes," the dragon laguz answered. "But the healers are busy with him right now. They'd rather no one interrupted them right now. And so I've waited out here."

"...For how long, exactly?" Nasir questioned.

"...I…" Ena looked out at the horizon. "Goodness, is it really evening already? All this time, I've been...standing here waiting for news on Rajaion's current state."

"All of this time?" pressed the white dragon, with Ena nodding. "Ena...that's not healthy. Did you not at least get something to eat?"

"...No," admitted the younger dragon ashamedly.

"...They're serving dinner right now," Elincia told her. "You're welcome to have some. Or I can tell the chefs to save some for you."

Ena was about to make a reply agreeing with this proposal, but then the door to the healer's ward swung open. Standing there was the same healer that had requested the dragon's leave.

"Oh, you're here," she pointed out. The fact that she was weary did not go unnoticed, but then she looked over at the other attendees. "Ah! Your Highness!" the healer greeted in surprise, before dropping to a bow, feeling slightly re-energised. "It is good to see you here. To what do we in the healer's ward owe this pleasure?"

"It is a pleasure to see you once more, Brona," Elincia returned. "As for the reason I am here...it is to see Prince Rajaion. I was told he is being healed here?"

"Yes, indeed, Your Highness," Brona replied. "That's actually why I came out here to tell you, Lady Ena. That is your name, isn't it?" she asked the pink dragon.

"Yes," Ena replied. "...You have news on Rajaion? Please tell me he's alright…"

"...Well, to put it simply...I have both good news and bad news," summed up the healer. "But how about you come in and see him first, at least?"

"Yes, please!" Ena gladly accepted, and followed Brona back into the ward. Bringing up the rear were Nasir and Elincia.

The ward was still fairly filled with wounded from the battle the day before. Most of their wounds had been healed, though, and only the most severely wounded remained, typically those whose limbs had to be amputated. But Ena only briefly acknowledged their presence. Once she saw the sight at the far end of the room, she rushed over there.

At the far end of the room stood a lone bed, separate from the rest. And on that bed...lay Rajaion.

His body lay still, like he was asleep. But this time, as Ena came closer, he didn't look as dead as before. Even if it was only a slight change...he looked slightly more alive. And that was enough to instil hope in his fiancée's heart.

Beside the bed were both Mist and Rhys. But both seemed exhausted and listless, which made a look of concern crossed Ena's face. _It must be the exhaustion of healing patients_ , she told herself. _It's an exhaustive process, using healing staves all day. At least from my experience with beorc healers_.

"So...this patient here...Prince Rajaion of Goldoa, I was told," Brona began. "...As I said, there is good news and bad news regarding his condition."

"And...what would those pieces of news be?" Nasir queried.

"...I'll start with the good news," the healer decided. "The good news is that we managed to get him to a stable condition. Using a light spark from a Thunder tome, we were able to get his heart restarted and healed. Now it's beating again. I noted that the beat is slightly slower than it should be, but I assumed that to be typical of dragon laguz. Is this true?" A nod from Nasir and Ena confirmed her assumption. "And his temperature feels slightly higher than it would be for beorc. Is this typical of dragon laguz as well?" Another nod of confirmation. "...Good. Two less things to worry about."

"...You also said there was bad news," Ena pointed out. Fear crept into her heart at the idea of a pitfall on Rajaion's road to recovery. "What...would that be?" _Oh, please let it be something trivial…_

"...To be honest...he was in a very bad way when you brought him here," Brona elaborated. "The way he was beaten up, the wounds he had sustained...frankly, the fact he even had a pulse in the first place...is nothing short of a miracle. For that reason...he will be unconscious for the next while, at least. To put it simply...he'll be comatose while he recovers."

"Comatose?" Ena uttered, now more worried than ever.

"Indeed. For someone in his state, I'm not surprised," responded Brona. "It took a lot of work to heal his sustained wounds with our staves. But I've noticed from his irregular breathing and his lack of response generally...that it is highly likely he is comatose. If that is true, then...I'm afraid his recovery period will be uncertain."

"Is that so…" Ena felt her heart sink in sadness. "...Will he be in a coma for much longer?"

"...I'm sorry to say that I don't know for sure," the healer responded. "It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. Next month. Next year, even. I cannot put a definitive date on it. ...I do humbly apologise, Lady Ena."

"..." The pink dragon didn't respond at first. She merely looked over at her beloved, who remained resting and silent.

"...It's better than it was, Ena," Nasir then pointed out. "Earlier today, we were all sure that Prince Rajaion had passed on to the heavens above. But now...he is still with us. His heart beats once again, and the worst of his wounds have been healed. He may be incapacitated, but...he's alive. And that's what matters."

"...Of course...He's alive," Ena murmured, reminding herself of that joyful fact. "My love is alive once more..."

"That is fortunate news," Elincia remarked. "The man you love is alive once more, Ena. Now, once he wakes...the two of you will have the opportunity to live out your lives side by side before all of this happened."

"...To live my life with him…" the pink dragon responded. "...Yes. Yes, that's exactly what I want...I want to be by Rajaion's side once more..." She could feel emotion welling up within her once again.

"And you will," Brona encouraged. "I'll see to it Prince Rajaion gets the all clear before he heads home with you."

"Yeah! Go for it, Ena!" Mist called. Although she was still tired from earlier, she summed up her pep for her own motivational cry. "You loved Rajaion, right? Then you'll have a happy life when he wakes up and you can go to Goldoa together!"

"...Everyone…" Ena uttered, rather taken by the morale boost those in the room were giving her. "...Thank you all. I will see to it I don't fall short of your expectations for me." Then she thought of an amendment to make. "...Although when I said 'I'...I actually intended to say 'we'." She looked over at the sleeping prince. "My love and I...we will be reunited once more. And then we will have your encouraging words seen to." She approached the bed, before leaning in to Rajaion's face. On his lips she left a kiss. "Rajaion...I will wait here for you. However long it takes. After nearly twenty years in despair, searching for a cure to your madness...I will gladly wait twenty more years if it comes to that. You are free of your ferality, and you are alive once more. I can be patient in happiness and for eternity, if only for you. ...Some time in the near future, my love...let us continue our lives once more as we did before."

And with that, Ena turned, and left, heading out of the ward.

* * *

Ena went about the rest of the day with a renewed sense of optimism. She ate her dinner with more enthusiasm than normal, which did not go unnoticed by Nasir.

"You're looking more chipper than you did earlier today," he noted.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Ena replied. "Rajaion is alive. The man I love more than anyone else in the world is alive once again, brought back from the brink of death. Is that not reason alone to be happy?"

"...It is indeed," Nasir agreed. "And seeing you happy once more...brings joy to my own heart. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the happiness of one's own kin. This was true of your mother...and it is once again true with you, Ena. The fact that you're happy makes me happy as well."

"The same was true for me when I was young, only vice versa," admitted Ena, before feeling somewhat shy at this next question. "Is it...bad to admit that I felt closer to you than I did my own parents?"

"...I had thought that was the case," replied the white dragon. "You were always eager to play with me whenever I visited. Mind you, I enjoyed those days of bonding with my only granddaughter just as much as you did." A reminiscent look came into his eyes. "Ahh...what blissful times those were."

* * *

" _Again, Grandfather! I want to look over the city from the top of your shoulders again!" a young Ena requested._

" _...Again, Ena?" Nasir queried. "We only did that yesterday. ...You never seem to tire of doing it."_

" _Because it's so fun!" chirped the pink dragon. "Please can we do it?"_

" _...It's evening time," the elder dragon noted. "I think your dinner should be ready soon. You wouldn't want to miss that, would you?"_

" _Just once more! I promise! Please?" begged Ena, putting on a pleading expression. "I promise I'll go have my dinner when we're done."_

" _...Oh, all right," accepted Nasir. "I only delight in seeing you joyful, after all. There is such beautiful innocence in youth…and since it's evening, we should get a brilliant view." He bent down low, and allowed his granddaughter to climb onto his right shoulder. Then...he transformed. Up and up his great white-scaled form travelled, until Nasir's height rivalled that of one of the castle's towers._

_From up there, the view over Elpis was stunning, especially when it was bathed in the evening sunlight like it was now. The backdrop of Mount Fiorosa and the Ertz Mountains in the distance looked simply epic, and Ena's eyes were like saucers as she took in the view. At her feet, Nasir's scaled hand kept her in place, and at her back, his wing acted as a rest to ensure she wouldn't fall._

" _Wow...It's beautiful…" the young dragon remarked. "It's like a painting…"_

" _I can only concur with you there, Ena," the white dragon seconded. "This is gorgeous. This...is the definition of beauty. This scenery is utterly bewitching. Now you know why evening is my favourite time of the day. Because when the sun sets, you get views as alluring as this."_

" _...Yes, you do..." Ena replied, taking in the vista. "It's really pretty…"_

" _I can only agree with you there, Ena," the white dragon concurred. "...May I say something at a time like this?"_

" _Yes, Grandfather. Go ahead."_

" _...I'm glad," Nasir told her gratefully, craning his head to look at her. "I'm glad that I can enjoy such lovely scenery with my granddaughter. But...I'm also glad that you can recognise such beauty at such a young age. Natural beauty far outweighs that of any fancy clothing or lavish ornament. This...is the beauty of the lands created by the goddess. Seeing it now, I will treasure this memory of sharing this panorama with you, Ena."_

" _...So will I, Grandfather," Ena replied. She held her arms out, as if to hug him. In response, Nasir nuzzled her with his draconic snout. The pink dragon returned the gesture lovingly._

" _I love you, Grandfather," she uttered, embracing his white scales._

" _...I love you too, Ena."_

* * *

"I can only agree with you, Grandfather," Ena concurred. "They were indeed joyous days. It was as you said - I would look back on those days as a high point in my life."

"I don't doubt that," said Nasir, in a thoughtful tone. "...But I reckon your best years have yet to come. I would say...your apotheosis will be in the next few decades. Once you settle down for a married life with our prince, your happiness will only expand tenfold. ...It's a shame I wasn't there to witness your growing relationship with Rajaion."

"It was probably the same as any other relationship," Ena dismissed. "I wouldn't be surprised if your relationship with Grandmother wasn't too different from ours. If so, you didn't miss much."

"...How was it?" he asked. "How...was your time with Rajaion?"

"...It was wonderful," she told him. "He didn't care about titles or nobility. He didn't care about my mixed scale colouration. He told me that if I was a common girl, it would not matter: he would love me just as much as he would now. Out of all of his potential suitors, he said that I was the most unique and modest among them, and those were the primary reasons he chose me to be his suitor. Whenever anyone said anything critical about me, he would almost always be the first to defend me. And in battle, he had such strength that he could defeat anyone, namely naysayers towards our relationship. When he got on his knees and asked for my hand in marriage...I could scarcely believe it. I felt like I was the luckiest woman on Tellius. Now...I can't help but wonder if that luck has returned."

"I reckon it has," Nasir replied. "...Maybe it's Fate's compulsion for you to come back to this point. After all, there were many moments in which you could have fallen, such as your battle with the Crimeans in Daein Keep, or when the Black Knight struck you. But you kept living on. And now...Rajaion lives on too."

"...Still, though…" Ena pondered. "Why would Fate put Rajaion through such a horrid ordeal as being warped into a Feral One? They say that Fate is a cruel mistress...and I certainly thought that more than once during my time with Daein. I truly don't understand Fate at all sometimes..."

"...Neither do I. I doubt even the goddess would know," Nasir said. "Perhaps it's better not to think about Fate's mysterious ways. The fact is...a benevolent gift has been given to us through the return of Rajaion to life. Let us celebrate that much at least."

"...Yes. Look on the bright side of life, rather than be stuck in the doldrums by downsides," Ena reminded herself. "That's what Rajaion would always say. He was always optimistic...To think I will see that optimism at work once more...it makes me all the more eager for my beloved's return."

"...As am I," Nasir smiled. "Here's to a happy future with our prince."

"...Hear, hear, Grandfather."

And so the two dragons finished off their meal. Afterwards, Ena returned to her room, with Nasir following close behind. When she looked at the bed, the pink dragon realised how tired she felt after a day like this.

"I think I'll go to bed," she informed Nasir. "Today has been...quite a day. Another long day of emotional twists and turns…" She was interrupted by a yawn from herself. "...I'll retire early tonight, I think."

"...Fair enough," accepted the elder dragon. "I'm not tired yet, so I'll join you later. Although, now that we're alone…" He stopped, as if to consider his next few words.

"What is it, Grandfather?" Ena asked. As she waited for the answer, she couldn't help but stare at his gaze. _...Is that...suspicion?_

"...On second thought, never mind," her grandfather shrugged off. "It's a question I shall ask you once Rajaion wakes. He may be able to provide another view on the matter. ...Goodnight, Ena. Sleep well." With that, he closed the door.

 _A question to ask?_ Ena was left pondering. _I wonder what it is...and why would he need Rajaion's view on the matter? And why was his expression akin to that of suspicion?_ Thinking back, he didn't seem to have that same wary look in his eyes at the table.

She realised something else when he thought back to him at the door just then.

He had been staring at her stomach.

Ena could feel fear creep into her heart.

 _Does he know?_ she thought, feeling somewhat panicked. _Please, goddess, don't tell me this has to do with my current state. Please...not yet. ...How in the world am I going to be able to explain to him that I'm pregnant outside of marriage?_

She sighed as she realised the inevitable truth. _It wouldn't matter either way. You would've had to tell him at some point that you are expecting a child. It would've been better to have told him sooner, actually. Maybe when I'd explained my plight, I should have told him I was pregnant with Rajaion's child. But now he'll be mad about it because I never told him. ...No. He won't be mad. He'll be disappointed. And from my past experiences...Grandfather's disappointment is worse than his anger. Oh, what a situation I am in…_

Then another thought occurred to her.

_He said he would ask when Rajaion wakes. That means...he'll be by my side. That will hopefully instil confidence within me...and maybe he'll back me up. Of course he will. Lovers will do anything for one another...That's why I'm here, because of that philosophy._

_But I think that's enough thinking for one night,_ she told herself, feeling another yawn escape her. _Get to bed, and think about these things in the morning._ And so she dressed into her nightgown and fell asleep just as soundly as last night.

This time, though, it was a happier sleep. Rajaion was alive once more, and she dreamt happily about possibilities of their life together going forward.

* * *

**Two weeks later…**

"Fair citizens of Crimea, I thank you all for witnessing this moment. With you as supportive towards my ascension as you have been, I feel confidence that I can surpass your expectations for me as your new sovereign."

In Melior, an occasion in history was being marked. There was much excitement in the streets of Crimea's capital city, and vendors, traders and merchants had set up stalls in the streets with the hope of selling their wares at this momentous occasion and making a potential killing. Elsewhere in the city, banners and decorations were put up, and in the castle, a banquet was promised for nobles as well as foreign dignitaries and special guests.

It was just the right weather for it, too. The sun shone brightly, there was a pleasant breeze and the summer heat contained little humidity. It was a splendid day for an occasion such as this.

Today was the coronation of Elincia Ridell Crimea. From this day forward, she would be known as Queen Elincia, Crimea's new ruler.

She was all decked out with the queen's regalia, as she stood on a podium in front of Castle Crimea, from the same area where previous kings and queens of Crimea had given speeches in the past. And now she would join that list of rulers by giving her first speech as queen: the same coronation speech Ena had walked in on her practicing. By now, all of the respective nobles of Crimea had pledged their fealty to her, and they were all sitting down in the special seating area reserved for them as Elincia gave her speech. Ike stood by her side, by her request, and he was accompanied by Lucia and Geoffrey. The sight of the Crimean general, now known as Lord Ike, brought cheers to many. He had given his own address to the spectators before Elincia had taken centre stage, and now she took his place upon the edge of the terrace.

"With the fall of Ashnard's reign of terror, I believe now is a time to usher in a new era, with a new outlook. I believe we ought to look back to our early days, when Crimea was founded as an independent country. Our first king, Caradock Einion Crimea, founded this nation to be an ally of the laguz, to show to them that not every living beorc wished to see them dead or enslaved. In our nation's early years, this did have success, and Crimea served as Gallia's shield during our first war with Daein. However, over the years stigmata have prevailed and controversies have arisen that have stymied the growth of our bonds with the laguz. It was only recently that my father, King Ramon, chose to strengthen the alliance with Gallia once more and return it to what it once was. A knight exchange programme, the ban on laguz hunting, as well as an increase in trade between our two countries - these were only some of the actions he took to strengthen the Crimean-Gallian alliance.

"I only intend to bolster our ties more, and follow my father's vision of a world where both beorc and laguz can live side by side in harmony. During my time with the Crimean Liberation Army, I saw a united front of beorc and laguz working together under our General Ike to defeat King Ashnard and free Crimea from his suffocating shackles. What was more, there was no sense of a compromise or forced comradeship: there still remained a common sense of camaraderie and fellowship within the army. To me...this stands as firm evidence that peace between beorc and laguz is no fantasy. And as for the aid from Gallia and Phoenicis...I cannot thank them and their kings enough. If not for them, I feel certain that the war could not have been won. Strengthening our association with them is therefore the least we can do, to reciprocate their kindness and generosity.

"Thus, my first edict as queen is also an exercise to improve relations between Crimea and Gallia. It has been two weeks since the Mad King's War, as has been coined in recent times, came to a close, and sadly, the wounds he inflicted upon our country have still yet to be healed. Whole villages and towns were upended by the Daein army's militant belligerence, and many people were displaced and left homeless. To repair the country will no doubt be an arduous undertaking.

"But it is a task that will be made much easier with the help of Gallian workers coming to help us rebuild our homes and infrastructure. They are known in legend as the Children of Strength, and having seen them in action during our war of liberation, I can attest to their power, as well as their work ethic. With their help, our reconstruction from this war will proceed faster than you will all expect. Our country will be healed before long, and we will be back to where we were before the war. Nay, even better than that!"

This exclamation was met with cheer. With this declaration, the citizens of Melior were already seeing their new queen as a woman quick to tackle the issue that had been occupying nearly every Crimean's mind since the end of the war: the rebuilding process. It was tough going so far, and those who heard Elincia's proposal were glad to be receiving some more help, even if it was from laguz, who they were unused to.

"And so, to you, the people of Crimea, I ask for your full cooperation in this matter," Elincia spoke. "With the arrival of Gallian workers to rebuild our country in the next few days, we can hopefully forge a new path together with new bonds between our two countries. Then, the old stigmas will gradually crumble, and more and more people will see the Gallian nation for what it is: not a nation of suspicious, alien beings, but a country of ordinary people with similar ideals to our own. And they will also see us for who we are: a nation of proud beorc willing to walk towards a future where the barriers of scepticism have been knocked down between the two races. With suspicion erased, a new era of peace will be heralded. That, I believe, should also be our defining quality. We are a nation of peace! We are a nation of justice! We are not warmongers like Ashnard! And we will champion that peace until the last man in our gracious nation falls!"

More cheers went up as the latest declarations were met with acclaim.

"We are a proud people, those of us who live in Crimea. I may be your new sovereign...but ultimately it is up to you all to carry out my will and the will of peace. Before us stands a great opportunity to show our prowess as a nation. When the Gallians come to our country to rebuild it...show them we are a country of peace. A country of compassionate, benevolent people. A country that will not persecute laguz or tolerate maltreatment towards them. You will do me proud, my subjects. It will be your efforts that will make our nation a model. For both our neighbours...and our successors. Let us go forth, people of Crimea...and seize that desire together."

And that was it. That had been Elincia's coronation speech.

For the commonfolk, a populace that had been force fed war, destruction, occupation and tyranny for a straight year...the new Crimean queen's speech promising peace, not just immediate peace, but peace to last well into the future by promising the ambition of knocking down the walls of stigma, went down very well with them. Particularly because Elincia wasn't snobbish or condescending at all towards them, but emphasised that the brunt of the blow that was the war was dealt to them. And she also spoke of her pride for her people, and entrusted the responsibility of seizing the destiny of that peaceful future to them. Not the spineless nobles that had failed to deliver for years and who had all hid in their cellars like cowards when the Daein soldiers stormed into their country. But to the common folk, who had weathered the worst of the war's storm.

The resulting applause could be heard across most of the city. The populace hoped that all their new queen had promised would come to fruition. But as well as balancing her practice for her coronation, she had visited the people of Melior, and even offered to help out at times when she could. Though she couldn't help for long, as inevitably her duties back at the castle kept her there, the gestures were appreciated by those she offered help to. They could see for themselves through moves like this that the queen was an honest and virtuous person.

And as said ruler looked down on her clapping and cheering people, she couldn't help but feel somewhat emotional inside. But she managed to keep her composure for her thanks to them.

"Thank you, people of Crimea. You have made this occasion a memorable one," Elincia said. "May the goddess Ashera guide you all down our path to peace." And with a bow, the Crimean queen turned and headed back into the castle. Lucia and Geoffrey, who stood by her side during her speech, followed her back in.

The applause still rang out for a good few minutes after she had left. Eventually, though, it calmed down, though the upbeat, positive atmosphere remained. Excited chatter broke out, with many praises being given for the speech. Crimea would be back on her feet before long. And that was enough to fuel the people's enthusiasm.

Witnessing all of this were Ena and Nasir, who were given special places near the front. Elincia had chosen them as two of her special guests for the coronation, and they stood near to the range of foreign dignitaries chosen for representation of the countries.

Begnion had chosen none other than Sephiran, its prime minister, to be their representative, although a number of other nobles had attended as well. Gallia had chosen Ranulf, along with Lethe and Mordecai. Elincia had personally requested that Jill, Haar and Tauroneo be at the coronation as thanks for their aid against Ashnard, and although Haar was too busy setting up a new wyvern delivery company to attend, Jill and Tauroneo attended as the unofficial Daein representatives. Reyson was chosen as Phoenicis' representative, and Leanne ended up tagging along with him. Kilvas had initially declined to send anyone, showing Naesala's disinterest in building bridges. The cunning raven was more one to burn them. But when the two herons were chosen, the raven king had reluctantly chosen to send Nealuchi to accompany the Serenes royals for the event.

Regardless, so far the coronation had gone off without a hitch. The mood was good among the citizenry, and there was much positivity amongst the foreign dignitaries as well, as they saw that the new queen of Crimea would not be a threat to their respective countries and people like Ashnard was. The Greil Mercenaries, who were among the nobility, were happy too(aside from Soren and Shinon) that the princess they saved at the start of all of this had risen above her timidity and had now ascended to the throne. And among the only two Goldoans in Melior right now, Nasir had similar sentiments.

"That melancholy, sombre girl running away from the Daeins seems like a distant memory now," he remarked thoughtfully. "Now here she is, becoming Crimea's new sovereign...I can only hope she can live up to the promises she gave to the people."

"As do I," Ena replied. "I hope she will, and I believe she will. Everyone seems to be taken with her." She looked around at the smiling faces of the populace. "...What a happy occasion this is. I can only hope this ambience of joy among the Crimeans can last…"

"...Only time will tell," Nasir responded. "We shall have to wait and see if she can indeed work against the tide of prejudice and work to improve relations with the laguz countries. I hope she can succeed. This world has seen enough strife and hatred already..."

"Mm," muttered the pink dragon in agreement.

The dragons observed the movements of the people after this. Seeing as how the speech was over, many people had decided to vacate to places of celebration, such as pubs and the square. Looking over at the knights, Ena could see none other than Kieran, the red-armoured cavalier from the Crimean Liberation Army, marching up to the group followed by some other Crimean knights.

"Attention, our most humbled and honoured guests to this momentous occasion! If I may have a moment of your time!" boomed the knight, who looked as pleased as punch to have been given a responsibility as important as this. "There is currently tea and refreshments being served in the castle right now! If you would like to go there, where Her Majesty is headed right now, you are all too welcome to do so!"

Many decided to take up this offer. As they began to trickle out, Nasir looked at Ena.

"Well, Ena?" he queried. "Shall we join them?"

"Yes," she accepted. "There are certain people I hope to speak with…" She looked at the lustrous, white-winged forms of Reyson and Leanne.

"Very well," Nasir said, having no problem with Ena's proposal. "Then let us head with them."

* * *

"Mmm…This tea tastes lovely," remarked Ena, after taking a sip. "It's just the right amount of sweetness for me without it being overly or underly so."

"Hmm…" Nasir took a sampling sip. "...It's...alright. It's not the worst tea I've tasted. But it's rather too sweet for me to call it the greatest tea I've tasted."

The two dragons were in the same dining room from which the banquet for the end of the war was being held. The room was packed full of nobles from Crimea as well as the foreign representatives drinking tea and eating refreshments, and Queen Elincia was there, meeting many unknown faces to her and making new connections. Among the group were Ena and Nasir at their own table, tasting the tea being served out.

"I wouldn't call it the greatest I've tasted either," replied the pink dragon. "But...it's certainly up there. I shall have to ask for some of the leaves that go into this before we go back to Goldoa."

"...If we're speaking about the greatest teas we've drank before, then for me it would without a doubt go to the tea that Matara made for her ill patients," Nasir opinionated. "The taste of it was utterly sublime, and when I was young and ill with a fever, it was like a panacea. I believed that tea to be the thing that cured me then. I was almost sad to leave her ward at the time. ...I was certainly sad when she passed away many centuries later."

"Matara…" Ena pondered, trying to remember the name. "...Who was she again?"

"She was a healer who worked in Elpis. She was a kindly woman who gladly helped anyone with their illnesses, no matter how minor they were. Apparently, His Majesty knew her when she was a medic for the Three Heroes' forces," Nasir recollected. "...In fact, she was the nurse that helped your mother give birth to you. ...You were thirty-three years old when she passed away from malaria. You were too young to remember her."

"I see…" Ena murmured. "Well, to return to the topic at hand...my favourite tea is when it's mixed with the juice of a pawpaw fruit. It was Rajaion that introduced me to it when we were working on a tea plantation near Blemma. ...How sweet the taste was. When we return, I shall have to return there again."

"...Maybe we shall," the white dragon said. "Of course, though...not until he wakes."

"...Of course. All in due time," his granddaughter responded. "...I just wish all of this wasn't so uncertain…"

" _ **Ena!**_ "

The dragon looked around once she heard her name being called. On the right, she saw Leanne eagerly approaching her, followed closely by her brother. Behind them, Ena noticed Nealuchi slowly approaching with his cane in hand.

"Princess Leanne," she greeted. "And Prince Reyson too...It is good to see you once more." She allowed a smile to cross her face. _The saviours of Rajaion…_

"It is good to see you too, Ena," Reyson returned. "And you as well, Nasir." The white dragon nodded in acknowledgement.

"...I would ask what you two are doing here," Ena went on. "But I think I know. Would you happen to be the representatives for Phoenicis?"

"The bird tribes, actually," the heron prince corrected. "Naesala refused to send anyone. So Tibarn sent the both of us to make up for that. And when Naesala heard the two of us were going, he sent Nealuchi to be our help in case we got into any trouble along the way."

"' _ **But no more than that!' was what he said to us,**_ " Leanne chimed in. " _ **So Nealuchi's not really here as a representative for Kilvas. But...I say we just pretend he is. What Naesala doesn't know won't hurt him,**_ " she proposed cheekily.

"If that is what you wish for me, my lady, then I shall act as you wish," Nealuchi graciously accepted. "Even if the nestling does find out, he'll get over it quickly. I know him well enough to know that much."

"Do what you wish, Nealuchi," Reyson permitted. "But...let's return to you, Ena, as well as Nasir. I wish to ask you something."

"Go on," Nasir allowed.

"...Have you not gone home yet?" he queried, his brow furrowing in curiosity. "I highly doubt the two of you wouldn't be here as delegates for Goldoa. Your king would never allow it. In that case...have you been here this whole time?"

"Yes, we have," the white dragon answered simply.

"But why? What about…" A thought suddenly occurred to Reyson. "What about your fiancé, Ena? Would the dragons not wish to conduct last rites for their prince?"

"...Well, you see…" Ena began, somewhat tentatively. "...Matters have...changed somewhat."

"Changed? What do you mean?" Reyson inquired further, only more confused.

"...How do I explain this?" murmured the pink dragon out loud. "...To say it simply...it turns out Rajaion is still with us."

" _What_?" Reyson said, aghast. Behind him, Leanne let out a gasp of shock at the news. "But...did he not pass on in your arms not long after we sang the galdr of rebirth for him?"

"...I thought that had been the case as well," Ena replied. "But…" And so she explained what had happened two weeks ago with the seeming corpse of Rajaion having a pulse, and him being healed up in the healer's ward by Brona, Rhys and Mist.

"That is where he has remained for the past two weeks, lying comatose as a result of the injuries he had sustained," the pink dragon explained. "And so Grandfather and I wait here for the day when he rises once more."

"I...see," Reyson said, taking in what the dragon laguz had said. "So Prince Rajaion is alive, even after all of what he has gone through...It sounds unbelievable…"

" _ **...But there's no sense that she's lying,**_ " Leanne observed. " _ **I believe you, Ena. I can sense the truth in your heart.**_ "

"...I'd forgotten about your ability to peer into people's hearts," Ena reminded, remembering the special ability of heron laguz. "But it's for the better that you can do so in this case. That way, you can discern fact from fiction. And what I speak of is by no means of the word fiction."

" _ **...Wait a minute. So if your mate's alive...then that's wonderful news!**_ " Leanne congratulated. " _ **Now you two can live side by side together again! Like a real couple…**_ "

"...Yes. We will, once he rises," Ena said, breaking out a smile. "...Leanne, Reyson...Thank you. I can't express enough gratitude for what you did for Rajaion, for cleansing his body of the feral drug that kept him under the heel of Ashnard for so long. In turn, your healing led to the current situation where I found a pulse on his body, and this in turn led to the healing of his wounds and the restarting of his heart. He is alive once again, thanks in part to you two. ...Thank you so much."

"...We are glad to have helped you, Ena," Reyson replied. "Though...Prince Rajaion being in a coma...that brings about its own set of complications." A look of pain came into his eyes, and Ena noticed Leanne clasping her hands over her chest in sorrow.

"It could be worse," she pointed out. "Rajaion could be dead, and we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"True...but it's not the best outcome either," the heron prince countered. "My own father...After Serenes was burnt down, he couldn't find the will to keep going, and fell into a deep coma which has rendered him bedridden for twenty long years. Even Leanne's return couldn't stir him. ...I do not know what else to try at this point to wake him up."

"...I see what you mean, Prince Reyson," Ena said, feeling slightly disheartened at the prince's words. "But...I will wait. After nineteen whole years of watching my beloved be forced to serve under Ashnard, I will gladly wait for him to wake up. No matter how long it takes. And also, Queen Elincia said she will keep him here until he wakes, and allowed Grandfather and I to stay here for as long as I wished. ...Even if I do not like imposing on others...I will take her up on that offer, until my love wakes once more."

"...I suppose you couldn't very well return to Goldoa without your mate by your side," Reyson responded. "You must have loved him to not lose that hope for redemption for nearly twenty years."

" _ **...That's something else…**_ " Leanne remarked. " _ **What pain you must have felt when he was taken away from you…**_ "

"It was painful, watching him thrash about wildly like a rabid animal," Ena admitted, feeling despondent upon recollection. "But you two freed him from that insanity. To that end, I am indebted to you. I only wish there was some way to repay you..."

"There need not be a repayment," Reyson replied. "The satisfaction of seeing something through is reward enough. ...Though I must say, this had more of an impact than we were expecting. To think Rajaion is alive once more…"

"Indeed," Nasir agreed. "A surprise, undoubtedly...but a welcome one."

" _ **...Can we see him?**_ " asked Leanne. " _ **Can we see Rajaion?**_ "

"Of course," Ena replied. "Come, I'll take you to him." She got up and headed out of the room of nobles, with Nasir, the heron royals and Nealuchi following her. As they travelled to the healer's ward, the white dragon couldn't help but notice a slight spring in Ena's step. This, he smiled at.

_As Rajaion recovers, she begins to regain her vitality...Hopefully it will fully return once the prince awakens._

The group of laguz soon arrived at the ward. It felt more airy now that most of the injured from the war had been healed and gone home. Very few remained, and now Brona could focus her attention on more trivial matters, such as a servant who had twisted his ankle earlier that morning. She was talking to that servant when Ena arrived.

"...Good. Just don't strain yourself too much today, and take it easy. I'm sure Her Hi - pardon me, Her _Majesty_ will understand," Brona was saying to him, before turning to the door. "Ah! Hello, Lady Ena! And...oh my, are they heron laguz? What an honour it is to meet you!" she said, bowing her head slightly as she looked at their radiant forms.

"...Er, yes, what an honour it is to meet you too," Reyson returned, though he felt peeved at the attention he was given purely because of his looks. Leanne, on the other hand, gave a friendly wave to the healer.

"So you're here to visit Rajaion again, is it?" the healer checked.

"Yes," Ena answered simply.

"...Well...as an overall assessment, he's come a long way since he was first admitted," Brona detailed, as they went over to where Rajaion's comatose body lay. "And he's healed much quicker than I expected. I see what they say about the laguz's quick healing capabilities is true for dragons as well."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Nasir asked. "We are as much laguz that can transform as the beasts of Gallia and the birds of the southern islands."

"True, true," Brona accepted. "But anyway. Prince Rajaion is getting there...but alas, he still has not woken up from his coma. He's not responding to any physical or verbal stimuli, and his breathing remains irregular. The symptoms of a coma still yet remain."

"Oh…" Ena's face turned crestfallen.

"...I'm sorry. I wish there was more I could do," the healer said, feeling guilty at the sight of the dragon's sorrow. "But...the best I can really do is look after him and make sure his condition doesn't get any worse than it is."

"...That will suffice, at least," Nasir commented. "That you are looking after the condition of our prince is reason enough to be grateful to you, Miss Brona."

"I'm doing what any healer should do," Brona replied. "I always wanted to help people since I was younger. And there are few better ways to do that than become a healer, where your whole job is helping people. It's often sad to see patients in the conditions that they come into the ward. But that only compels me to help them more. And I vow to see this through, for I will leave no patient of mine hanging."

As the dragons and healer conversed, Leanne took an opportunity to whisper something into her brother's ear. Reyson looked at her questioningly.

"...Do you think it will work?" he said to her.

" _ **It can't hurt to try,**_ " she responded.

"But it won't wake him up," Reyson whispered. "I have tried doing so with Father before, and it did not wake him. I have doubts that this will work, Sister…"

" _ **But Brother, we have to do something,**_ " Leanne stubbornly insisted. " _ **If Rajaion doesn't wake up, then the hope in Ena's heart will wither over time and then she'll be sad again...Please? Ena's our friend, Brother. We should at least try to help her…**_ "

"..." The heron prince was silent as he contemplated what his sister had said. "...Very well, then. We shall try." He then cleared his throat, in order to catch the attention of the others in the room. "...Excuse me. Leanne and I would like to try something, if you would permit it."

"...What would that be?" Brona asked.

"We would like to sing a galdr for Rajaion," Reyson answered.

"A galdr?" Ena asked. "...Could it potentially be...the same one you sang for him after the fall of Ashnard?"

"...Indeed. The galdr of rebirth," the heron prince confirmed. "But...to be frank, I do not know for sure if it will be fully effective. It's normally meant for freeing the body of malignant influence, such as the feral drug that took over Rajaion's sanity, or the healing of plant life like at Serenes Forest. If it could heal wounds, the dragon prince would have been healed when we sang the galdr back when Ashnard had been defeated. I have tried singing the galdr of rebirth to my father on occasion over the past twenty years. ...But he still hasn't woken."

"..." The hope in the pink dragon's eyes diminished somewhat.

"... _ **But that's only because you were on your own, Brother,**_ " Leanne chipped in. " _ **If we do it together, then...maybe there's a chance the galdr might be strong enough to wake Ena's mate from his coma.**_ "

"...You make a good point, Leanne," Reyson told her. "It's worth a try, at least. The atmosphere is calm in this room, and the occasion outside lifts our spirits enough to be able to perform the galdr. ...But keep in mind, Ena, that there's no guarantee this will be a success."

"I am aware," Ena replied. "But an attempt to wake my love from his comatose state is good enough, at least. ...Can you perform it? Please?"

"We will. But we need concentration to do so. Do you mind stepping back?" Reyson requested. The other three acquiesced to this demand, and did as the heron asked. Once everything was ready...the two herons began.

" _ **Endless grief and sorrow**_

_**Hearts slumbering again** _

_**Stars frozen in their place** _

_**Darkness envelops the land.** _

_**But in the spilling of blood,** _

_**a hope still glimmers dim.** _

_**In a reflection in the water.** _

_**In a whisper in the wind.** _

_**Gather your courage.** _

_**It will break the bonds of night.** _

_**Take wing, and dance upon the sky.** _

_**Take wing, and dance upon the sky.**_ "

It was a song that, especially from a heron, sounded nothing short of divinity. Healing, recovery, restoration - the very lyrics that were sung carried undertones of these. The same song that had cured Rajaion and restored Serenes Forest back to its former glory now aimed to wake the aforementioned Goldoan prince from his coma.

But would it work?

As the galdr drew to a close, everyone in the room was gazing at Rajaion. The prince had still remained motionless despite the galdr of rebirth having restored his condition previously. All watched his body for any changes, any movements, and any sudden developments as a result of the heavenly melody being sung once more. They waited with bated breath for the dragon prince to react in some way.

"...Did it work?" Ena asked, breaking the silence.

At first glance, nothing appeared to be different. Rajaion's still body remained as it had been before the galdr had been sung.

" _ **...He's still asleep,**_ " Leanne commented sorrowfully. " _ **I don't think it worked…**_ "

"...I did doubt it would be able to wake him up," Reyson reminded. "...My sincerest apologies to you all." Both herons were panting, as a result of the strain from singing the galdr of rebirth.

"No, no, it's fine," Ena reassured. "Your effort is appreciated. I am already forever grateful to you for restoring his sanity. It's perfectly alright if you can't make him rise from his coma. I can wait. Really, I can."

"Hmm…" Brona hummed. "...Allow me to check, to see if the song really had no effect. May I?" Ena nodded in permittance. "...Thank you." With permission given, the healer checked Rajaion over.

"...Let's see...Right away, I don't notice anything," she analysed, as she examined the prince. "He's still fairly inert, and he won't respond to any stimuli such as light. His pulse is still at around the same strength it was before...What about his breathing?" She moved to his chest. "...Hmm...Breathing is as it was. ...Except...hold on a minute…" Brona went on her knees, appearing to examine Rajaion's chest closer.

"What is it?" Ena questioned. The beorc's muttering made her hope the galdr of rebirth had had some effect.

"...I could be wrong, but...I swear I noticed his breath just there come sooner than it had been beforehand," Brona replied. "Just allow me to truly confirm that." Around a minute passed before she then said, "Yes, I believe I'm correct. His breathing is coming to him more regularly now than it did before. If I may provide an observation...perhaps this means he is coming out of his coma. To put it simply...he may wake up soon."

"So the galdr did have an effect," Nasir noted. "That's good news, at least."

" _ **I knew it would work!**_ " Leanne said triumphantly. " _ **Now Ena's mate is one step closer to waking up.**_ "

"Indeed...Only a little while longer now," Ena said, hoping what Brona hypothesised was the truth.

"...Even so, there still is ground left to cover," the healer stated. "And I will look after the Goldoan prince to the utmost of my ability. Until then...I must ask for your patience in this matter, Lady Ena. I still need time to ensure what I have surmised is the truth of the matter."

"That I will do. You've been a terrific help all of this time, Brona," Ena thanked. "I can gladly wait for your diagnosis. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet," the healer replied. "Not until we're fully out of the woods. Now why don't you go off and enjoy the festivities? I'll handle things here."

"Then that's what I'll do," the pink dragon decided. "Again, I cannot thank you enough."

"And your praise is all too welcome," Brona said. "Leave me to help your beloved recover. You go and enjoy yourself. I'll see you another time."

And so Ena left, with the other laguz in tow. As she did so, a thrill ran down the younger dragon's spine.

 _He's on the road to recovery,_ she told herself. _And when he recovers...I can see him again._

_My love...hang in there. It won't be long now._

* * *

**The next day…**

Ena woke up, not long after sunrise. The routine of being an early riser had not been lost on her during these two weeks of her fiancé's recovery. And now that the army had left, Elincia had given Ena her own guest room, which had a small balcony from which she could gaze out at the morning sun rise into the sky. She did this most mornings, and after she had gotten dressed into her clothes for the day, she did just that, gazing out at the streets of Melior and the Crimean countryside beyond as the sun began to shine upon them from the east.

It was a pleasant sight, and the pink dragon could have taken in the sight all morning. But she realised there was business to attend to. The same business that she had attended to for the previous fortnight.

Seeing to her beloved's condition.

But she felt another sensation creep into her as she walked to the door: the gnawing of hunger.

 _To breakfast or to Rajaion…?_ she pondered. _I want to see my beloved if he truly has woken up after yesterday...But he won't be happy if he realises I forsook myself for him. Perhaps I'll eat instead. That's what he would want._

With Ena's mind made up, she headed down to the dining room. When she got there, the servants saw her, and wordlessly nodded, before heading to the kitchen to fetch the dragon's breakfast. Entering the room, she saw it the same as it had been last night, though everything had been cleaned up, almost to the point where one could not tell there had been a celebratory dinner there the night before. Everything had been cleaned up, and now out on each table lay the usual napkins and cutlery at each position on the table. A few of the tables were filled with various nobles and dignitaries, but Ena didn't recognise anyone in particular.

The dragon laguz sat down at a table near one of the windows. As she waited for her breakfast, she could overhear the conversation of the group of three seated near the centre of the room.

"...Tch. Unbelievable," scoffed an eminence-haired man. "To think already our nation is being sold out to those wretched sub-humans...It's utterly disgraceful!"

The mention of the common slur made Ena tense slightly. She listened intently, trying to glean any potential information from these men.

"Too right, Maraj," seconded a bony-faced man with indigo hair. "Give those sub-humans an inch, and they'll take a mile. Taking their forces, not using any of Begnion's reinforcements still in Daein, and indebting Crimea to them...What was that idiot mercenary general thinking? And for that matter, what was the queen thinking of, listening to him? Does she not realise she's luring our country into a trap? Before we know it, we'll be having the beasts from the west rampaging through our villages and the pirates from the south blackening out our skies!"

"Hmm...I don't think that will be the case, Tashoria," said the third man, who had brown hair and wore a more elaborate outfit. Looking at him and taking in his scent, Ena immediately presumed him to be a noble of some kind. His baritone accent was another factor supporting her guess "If they wanted to, they would've done it by now. But despite our weak borders to the west, Gallia has never taken that chance. If I had to guess, they want to live their own life in that hellish jungle and don't care to expand beyond it. ...However, you do have a point about indebting ourselves to Gallia. By accepting this rebuilding aid, we are putting ourselves in more debt with them, more so when you consider their aid during the war. Why must we let them rebuild our towns and cities? It's not like we're incapable of doing the work ourselves. Why take on this pointless debt? Especially…" His face darkened. "...When the queen isn't accepting reparations from Daein."

"Wait, what? Are you serious, Lord Ludveck?" Tashoria's face was aghast. "Even after all they've done to us?"

"Even after all they've done to us," Ludveck replied, a hint of anger creeping into his voice. "...Felirae was sacked and burned by those savages. My own father was killed on the field of battle by Daein. And beyond that, the king and queen were killed, Melior was brutally occupied, and countless Crimean citizens were killed by those barbarians to the east. And yet, not one piece of gold in reparation!" He slammed his fist on the table in fury. "Those Daeins must pay for what they have done to our nation...and to our people."

"Hear, hear, Lord Ludveck!" congratulated Maraj. "You'd make a much better leader than that prissy, naive girl on the throne right now."

"Hush, Maraj," the lord urged, still infuriated to a degree. "Say those words too loudly, and sedition may well be branded upon your name. Though, me as king...what an interesting thought. But, perhaps, a tad premature. Our queen may show naivety now...but she has only spent one day as queen. I am at least willing to give her a chance. She may well see the error of her propositions. ...And perhaps if I get with her good graces, she may allow me to take Lady Lucia's hand…" he fantasised. "Ah, lovely illustrious Lucia...so close, and yet so far…"

"...Whatever you say, milord," Tashoria responded, though Ena could notice the deadpan in his voice. "...Ah! Our breakfast."

At that point, three servants arrived with trays containing the breakfasts of the three men. All three took their respective meals, and began to eat them.

Not long after, a servant arrived with the first serving of breakfast for Ena. She tucked into her meal, but made sure to keep listening to those men. The way they disparaged laguz and Queen Elincia...she didn't like what she was hearing. But it only compelled her to listen more intently.

"There's another thing too," Maraj said, returning to the conversation. "Have you heard about that dragon prince that's being healed up here?"

 _...What? They know about Rajaion?_ Ena thought nervously. She listened in closer, but still ate so as to appear she was not eavesdropping.

"Dragon prince?" echoed Tashoria, puzzled. "What dragon prince?"

"Did you not hear the rumours as of late?" questioned Ludveck. "They say that within the healer's ward, one of Goldoa's princes is being treated. They say he was Ashnard's mount, apparently. One of those ghastly feral laguz. But even though he was on death's door, he was found to still have life within him, and so they brought him to the healers, where he remains. However...I know no more than that. I suspect most do not know of this fact. I wonder if it's the work of the queen trying to keep it on the down low…"

"...How stupid," spat the swordmaster. "What's the point in that? Healing up a prince that'll just return to his hellhole country...Where's the return there?"

"Your words speak volumes," the Crimean lord replied. "At the brink of death, and he's a Goldoan dragon at that...It's nothing more than pointless indebtment. Were I in our queen's shoes, I would leave such a draining leech on our supplies to die. What's the point in restoring him, if Goldoa will do nothing to further any kind of relation with Crimea? Even by our queen's standards...that's an exceptionally nonsensical gesture. This, more than anything, highlights her naivety. Her gross innocence will be her downfall one day. Mark my words."

That was all Ena could stand hearing from those men. The latest remark by Ludveck had appalled her to the point where she could not stand to hear any more talk be uttered by the trio. She therefore got up and excused herself from the dining room.

As she passed by the door to the kitchen, she heard the waiter serving her food calling out to her.

"Lady Ena!" he called. "Where are you headed?"

"To get some air," she responded, not wishing to speak. "I'm not hungry right now. Leave it aside." She continued her journey out of the room, and eventually found an empty alcove which she could be alone in for the next while at least. With her alone with her thoughts, she thought back to the exchange between those men earlier.

 _How cruel,_ she thought. _How could one leave Rajaion to die, even when there's a glimmer of hope of saving him? How would he like it if one of his loved ones with a chance of living were left to die as he proposed with Rajaion? Would he be as desperate as I was? My love is irreplaceable...no one will be able to take his place for me._

 _Perhaps, then,_ she also realised. _I should be thankful that Queen Elincia approved to have Rajaion healed, and allowed me to stay here to reunite with him once he does wake. It is good fortune that such beorc exist. And it is fortunate that someone as considerate as her has risen to become queen of Crimea. Not all of them…_

She shuddered as the image of Ashnard with a deranged Rajaion came into her head.

_...are as bad as they are reputed. In this society, I am only glad that Ludveck fellow lies lower on the social ladder than Queen Elincia. Were he king, I do not believe this chance would be offered to me. Do not think such vindictive thoughts of that man. That's not what Rajaion would want from you._

But even so, Ena was still hurt from the callous Crimean lord's words, and spent the next while in that alcove soothing her ruffled feelings. Eventually, she found the strength to get up and decide on her next course of action.

As she did that, Mist came up to her.

"Ena!" she greeted. "There you are! I've been looking for you!"

"I was in the dining room," she responded. "Are you alright, Mist? Am I needed for anything?"

"Well...yes, of course!" Mist replied cheerily. "Brona wants you."

"Does she?" _Could it truly be…?_ "What does she want with me?"

"...Just come and see," was all the beorc girl said. "It's really important."

"...Very well," Ena obliged, hoping what she was hearing was true. The 'really important' part had been the dead giveaway, at least that was what she thought. _By the goddess...could it really be? ...I can only find out by going there myself and seeing the truth with my own eyes._ Gone was the despondency from Ludveck's remarks; now hope had lit a blaze within her soul, just as it had done two weeks beforehand.

And so the pink dragon followed Mist to the healer's ward, her heart thumping in anticipation. _Oh divine heavens, please let it be so. Please let me see him once more…_

Soon, they reached the approach to the healer's ward. As they got close to the door, Ena could hear a conversation going on inside the room.

"I'm afraid we've had to throw your old robes out." The voice belonged to Brona. "They were torn and bloodied to an almost irreparable state."

What Ena heard next only fanned the flames of hope in her heart.

"...That's fine," came another voice. The unquestionable voice of a man. "Clothes are only materials at the end of the day. I wouldn't want to look like a risen corpse in front of Ena, anyway."

_That voice…! It's really him!_

Ena entered the ward, itching to know the truth. At the end of the room, there stood Brona, as well as Nasir. Both stood there, looking over at the pink dragon. They both had expectant smiles on their faces, as if they would enjoy what was about to happen.

And in the bed, was none other than…

Rajaion himself.

He smiled as he lay his eyes upon his beloved.

"Hello, Ena. ...It's good to see you again."

...He was awake once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we are. Rajaion is now definitely alive. And in the next while, we shall see just what happens in his interactions with other characters.
> 
> Also, I've decided that ancient language will be in bolded italics, as seen with Leanne here. Regular italics will be thoughts, flashbacks, books and emphasis. Regular bold will be inscriptions. I'll probably make more amendments to this list in future. The song sung is the translated presumed lyrics of Life Returns, which is also the galdr of rebirth. Courtesy of that translation goes to Serenes Forest.
> 
> I had intended for this to come out sooner, but college registration forced me to put this to the wayside. And on top of that, there was me struggling to find out how comas worked and whether the galdr of rebirth would work the way it did here. It's explained in the next chapter how the galdr wakes him up. I'm aware there's probably far more technicality to comas than what I've touched on, but hopefully it will suffice. (Though I'm sure those interested in this field would probably have something to say about it. I may well edit this chapter in future.)
> 
> I hope college work doesn't impact the uploading of this too much. On that front, I can only hope. Hopefully, it won't be an age before the next upload.
> 
> Thanks for reading, as always. Your views are wholly appreciated.


	4. Revitalised

Ena's breath caught in her throat at the sight. There he was, the man she loved more than anyone else in the world, the man who she'd said her farewells to at the end of the war, thinking he would die. 

The dragon prince who lay comatose the day before was now awake, and smiling at her. That same smile that had lit a feeling of warmth inside her whenever he wore it in the past. And seeing him wear it again brought memories flooding back to her. Memories of her blissfully in love with him, travelling to Goldoa’s most beautiful areas with him, and him smiling his bright smile to her when he’d proposed to her...

Within seconds, Ena felt her eyes well up, and she made a dash over to her fiancé's side. Rajaion opened his arms and caught her when she was by her side. The couple then shared a deep, loving embrace.

Ena could only cry as she embraced her beloved. Finally, after nearly twenty long years of desperately seeking this moment, it was finally here. Rajaion was sane again, and alive on top of that. In the embrace, the pink dragon let loose the pent-up anguish and despair that had built up inside her during her time as a Daein general, along with the two weeks of anxiety that she had spent waiting for him to rise from his coma.

And now...here he was. Exactly how she wanted him, free of possession, and back to his normal, jovial self.

"There, there, Ena," Rajaion soothed sympathetically, patting her on the back occasionally as he held her close. "It's alright now. You don't have to suffer in suspense anymore."

Ena didn't answer, and instead she continued her sobbing into the prince's shoulder. The tears were creating a wet stain on his clothes, but Rajaion did not care. He only focused on giving his fiancée the comfort she needed right now. 

At several points, the pink dragon tried to speak, but she was too choked up to utter anything, and ended up returning to her bawling her eyes out. The black dragon continued comforting her, and patiently awaited for when she found her voice again. 

“...I…” Ena took a deep, shaky breath. “I...I can’t believe it...Rajaion...you’re really here…” she uttered, her eyes glistening with tears that continued to fall.

“Yes, Ena,” Rajaion replied simply. “I’ve recovered now. And honestly, I feel great. Like I’ve had a really sound sleep. I...suppose it must have been because of the galdr of rebirth that healed me that’s making me feel this way.”

“That’s the most valid explanation I can think of,” Brona said. “Perhaps...the galdr could have set up the conditions for you to rise from your coma? I do not know much of heron laguz magic, but...that is my best presumption, based on what you’ve testified to so far, Prince Rajaion.”

“What you’ve...said so far?” Ena queried.

“Yes. I woke up earlier this morning, in fact,” Rajaion explained. “But it took a while for my brain and senses to be fully attuned to what was going on around me. Brona was here to examine me and gauge me medically. And now...I feel better. At least, better than before. Though...I’m still trying to figure out and remember what being normal is like again.”

“...Wait...Does that mean you’re not healed yet?” Ena asked, unable to hide her disappointment. 

“Well...yes and no,” the prince replied. “I am physically healed, with no more wounds on me. I just need some time to adjust back to being as I was before all of this happened. Spending all that time as a feral laguz really hasn’t done me any good at all. Just some time to adjust, Ena, and then we can finally return to Goldoa together. You and I, together.” He leaned in for a kiss, and the pink dragon returned the gesture.

“I still need time to fully assess you and deem you healthy to discharge,” Brona interjected, once they’d finished. “But you’re free to walk around the castle, and to chat with Lady Ena. She hasn’t been able to express enough how she’s missed you.”

“...I expected as much. I’ve missed her greatly, too,” Rajaion responded, before turning back to Ena. “When the galdr back then ridded me of my ferality...the sight of you was one of the greatest things I ever saw. With a mind clear of madness...I would say seeing you once again was a gift sent straight from heaven.”

“Oh, Rajaion...as was I with you,” Ena said. “I had longed to see you with this body again, and with you free of that horrific drug. Now...now I have you with me again…” The emotion and tears began to resurface.

“...I’m only glad I’m able to see your worries put to rest,” responded the dragon prince. Then his tone turned sombre. “...Nineteen whole years...is that right? Nineteen years of me being feral and you joining up with Daein...I can’t say how sorry I am to have made you fret about me all of this time. ...Allying yourself with Daein...that couldn’t have been an easy decision to make…”

“...It wasn’t,” Ena admitted. “They hated laguz to no end, and didn’t spare any cruelty at all when they invaded Crimea. Not to mention, General Petrine was particularly brutal in her tactics, even to her own people! If one didn’t obey or failed a mission, then she would take out her flame lance and skewer them like they were roasted pheasant on a spit…” Ena shut her eyes, remembering all of the times her former overhead had charbroiled one of her own men for his failures. “...Whether I liked it or not, I had to obey. I had to follow the will of the Mad King. Because if I didn’t, my life would be forfeit, and then I would lose you forever…!” She couldn’t suppress the next waterfall of tears that fell from her eyes.

“...Ena…” Rajaion murmured, feeling rather guilty at the sight of his beloved in tears. “...It’s fine, Ena. That’s all in the past now. Mad King Ashnard is no more. Now you can follow your own will instead of the twisted will of a madman.”

“...My will...My will is to be with you, Rajaion,” the pink dragon answered, after finding her composure. “Please, my love...let us never part ways again. The life we had before we were separated...I would love nothing more than to return to those days. Can we live as we once did, blissfully in love with one another back in Goldoa?”

“...Of course we can,” the dragon prince smiled warmly. “I would choose no other path than the one in which we can live together happily as mates.”

“Oh, Rajaion…” Ena uttered, joy evident in her voice. “...Thank you. Thank you so much…” She tenderly embraced him, and the prince returned the hug. 

It was tender, loving and sweet. The kind of love that made Nasir smile with happiness for his granddaughter, and filled Brona with satisfaction that she was able to heal one of her patients. A man many would have left for dead given his condition was now revitalised. The observers watched, as the two lovers kept their affectionate embrace strong.

They remained this way for some time, and would’ve done so if Rajaion didn’t squirm in his fiancée’s grip.

“...Ena,” he said. “You can let go now. I...can’t exactly get up when I’m in a vice grip like this.”

“...Oh.” The pink dragon realised what her fiancé was saying, and pulled away. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s perfectly alright, Ena,” Rajaion cut off. “I’m not cross with you. It’d take a lot more than that for me to be mad with you. ...Though...heh.” He couldn’t stifle a laugh. “I’d forgotten how strong your hugs could be sometimes. It’s...a nice reminder of olden times. Blissful times. ...We’ll return to that life when we go back to Goldoa. Let us pick up the baton from where it was dropped.”

“...Indeed, Rajaion. May our love never wither for as long as we live,” Ena replied. Then, she felt movement from underneath his blankets. “Do you want to move?”

“Yes. I’m itching to get out of bed and feel the ground under my feet again as an untransformed dragon,” the Goldoan prince answered. “Would that be permissible?” he asked Brona.

“...Alright,” the healer permitted. “But please take it easy, and don’t do anything strenuous. I am aware laguz heal more quickly than beorc, but it’s better to be on the safe side. You did only just wake up from a coma, after all.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” Rajaion reassured. “I know better than to disobey healer's orders. Besides, Ena will be with me. She’ll make sure I don’t do anything too demanding. Won’t you, Ena?”

“You want me to...look after you?” Ena’s heart leapt. “I would be glad to, my love.”

“Splendid,” replied the black dragon, as he readied himself to get out of bed. “I may need your help here, Ena. Nasir, you too. Just for stability when I get up.” The two dragons complied, and held him by the shoulders. Then Rajaion raised himself up to his full height.

His legs were shaky as he stood, having to get used to the feeling again after being comatose for two weeks and in a wyvern’s stance for nearly twenty years. But after walking around for a bit stabilised by his dragon compatriots, he felt good enough to walk on his own two feet once again. He gave a joyful laugh as he walked around.

“Ah...it feels great to be walking around normally again,” the prince remarked. “After all that time I’ve spent out of action...it’s good to return to normalcy once more.”

“...Back to normal…” Ena said, feeling a warmth spread through her with those words. Rajaion was back to normal. The love of her life was perfectly alright, and in good health once more.

The sensations compelled her to hug him, and he returned the gesture. A devoted couple, truly united this time. The audience of the room, Brona, Mist and Nasir, watched this touching scene.

“Aww...They’re so loving together,” Mist remarked. “Especially since Ena was so sad before...But now she’s happy again.”

“...It’s a pleasant sight to see,” Nasir added. “I had heard Rajaion had thought rather favourably of Ena back when I had left Goldoa. And now, their love has blossomed to this stage...I can clearly see now why she was so intent on ridding him of his craze when she was with Daein.” He looked at the engaged partners, both smiling happily in their loved one’s embrace.

_Your survival was fortunate, Rajaion. Now Ena can live her life by your side once more._

“...It’s good to share such moments with you again, Ena,” the prince said, loosening the grip of his hug. “...I love you so much.”

“Mmm...It’s as if your revival acted as a domino to all my worries,” Ena observed. “I truly feel that a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”

“...I am only too glad that you feel that way, Ena,” Rajaion said gratefully, tightening his embrace with the pink dragon. “I hope this carefree feeling lasts within you for a good while after this.”

“...I hope so too.”

The two dragons kept themselves locked in their warm, blissful embrace, attention only on each other and ignorant of the audience that watched them. They kissed, and cuddled against one another. Both were in a trance of happiness, and would have probably stayed that way for some time. 

That is, if Rajaion’s stomach did not interrupt them with a hungry growl. That snapped the couple out of their reverie.

“...Well...pardon me,” the Goldoan prince apologised sheepishly. “I didn’t mean for that…”

“Don’t apologise, my love,” Ena said. “It’s only natural. And if you are hungry, then we must get you some breakfast.”

“You’re free to go to the dining room to eat,” Brona permitted. “But...with all due respect, Prince Rajaion, those clothes...aren’t exactly suitable for going to the dining room with.”

“Yeah, I guess they’re not,” Rajaion replied, looking down at his blue infirmary pyjamas that had replaced his ruined, bloodied robes he’d worn when revived from his insanity. “Is there...anything else I can wear?”

“Well...we have an outfitting room in this castle,” the healer proposed. “The seamstresses will no doubt make a new outfit for you.”

“No, no, I don’t demand a new outfit. I don’t even necessarily want something new,” insisted Rajaion. “Something second-hand would be fine. Even a plain outfit would do.”

“We’ll decide that when we get there,” responded Brona. “Come, I’ll lead you there. I know the way.”

“Lead the way, then,” Rajaion said. “Ena and Nasir, how about you two go on ahead to breakfast? I’ll join you when I’m a bit more presentable.”

“...Very well, then,” Ena accepted. And so the black dragon headed off with Brona.

“...It’s good to see that our prince is still very much his old self,” Nasir commented. “At least, from what I remember of him before I left.”

“...What a blessed relief,” said the pink dragon to this. “At least no personality change has occurred within him. That’s one trait I wouldn’t be able to bear if he lost it...His selflessness and willingness to help others is but only one of the reasons I love him so.”

“...His love for you is quite strong,” observed the white dragon. “I see you are not going down the path of unrequited love that has led to heartbreak for so many within this world. He returns your feelings, and by the looks of it, your marriage will be a happy one. I only want you to be happy in life...and by Rajaion’s side, it appears that desire is on its way to being fulfilled.”

“Indeed...I cannot wait for that time,” Ena replied. “But let us focus on the present, and head to the dining room as Rajaion told us.”

“Yes, of course,” Nasir obliged, and the two headed out of the infirmary to the dining room.

When they reached there, it was more full than it was earlier when Ena was there earlier. Among the crowd, Ena could see Elincia eating her breakfast with Geoffrey, Bastian and Lucia, as well as Ike and a few Greil Mercenaries dining together. Looking around, she spotted an empty table near to the entrance, and she and Nasir sat down there.

Almost immediately, servants presented them with plates of breakfast. The dragons thanked them and dug in.

“Mmm...Exquisite,” commented Nasir. “The food here has been delicious. ...But alas, it is not the same as the fruits of home. Even if Goldoa was not as rich in variety as other countries in terms of fruit...the taste of the fruits that were there reminded me of my youth. The salads Mother used to make for me were peerless in taste...and I will hear no opinion that says otherwise.”

“Then I won’t argue your point,” Ena said in response. “I too found them to be delectable, the taste of home. No matter how I tried to forget it, the longing to taste them again kept coming back while I was in Daein...I suppose I won’t have to wait much longer to taste them again.” The dragon allowed herself a smile at this.

“Indeed...Not much longer now,” her grandfather replied.

Both returned to their food. They continued eating, and Ena had finished her second serving and beginning her third when Rajaion walked in. 

The servants had held the door open for him, and the dragon prince walked into the room, and a few people turned to look at the new arrival. It was quite a sight for Ena when she looked up from her food to see the one she loved enter the room. Her heart leapt when he smiled upon recognising her among the crowd, and headed in her direction. 

The outfit he wore was an elegant one, befitting a crown prince like him. The robe was a dark green colour, accented with gold, and a ruby brooch adorned the outfit’s breast. The trousers were the same shade of green, and the boots looked to be made of some of the finest silk of the country. 

“Rajaion…” Ena said as he came close. “You look...dazzling.”

“I told them I didn’t need anything fancy…” Rajaion sighed. “But they kept saying, ‘Oh, but you’re a crown prince! You have to wear something befitting your station,’” he mimicked. “...I suppose it’s fine. At least I have something to wear now. I did thank Brona for that.”

“What a kindhearted beorc she is,” Nasir commented. “We are quite indebted to her for nursing you back to health, Your Highness.”

“...Indeed. And Queen Elincia, too,” Rajaion added. “If she hadn’t risen up to overthrow King Ashnard, then Crimea would still be subjugated to his oppressive will. And then we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

“...Perhaps. But undoubtedly, if one must thank anyone for liberating Crimea from Daein, they must thank General Ike," Ena said. "It was he whose selflessness managed to coalesce an army with people of many different origins. It was he who ultimately felled King Ashnard in the end. And...it was he who saved me from an untimely death at the Black Knight's sword."

“Hold a minute,” the dragon prince interjected. “An untimely death? A black knight? ...I’m...clearly missing something here. I might need some gaps to be filled in for me.”

“...Do you not remember the Black Knight?” Ena’s brow furrowed in confusion. _How could that be so?_ “...He reported many times to King Ashnard and was one of his most loyal commanders. Do you truly have no memory of him?” Worry rose in her heart for her loved one.

“Well…” The dragon prince didn’t seem to have an immediate answer for this. And neither dragon missed the slight reluctance in his eyes to speak of it. “...I’ll be honest...I can’t fully recall the past nineteen or so years when I was subjected to that drug. My time when I was feral...it’s a bit of a haze. Kind of like when…” He pondered an analogy. “...When you’ve had a lot to drink one night and can’t quite recall what happened once morning comes around. It’s...a similar sort of forgetfulness. ...Sorry, that’s not a great comparison. But it’s the best one I can think of right now.”

“So you can’t fully remember exactly what happened,” Nasir summed up.

“Pretty much,” Rajaion replied simply. “Mind you...maybe that’s for the better. Because the parts I do remember...are better left unspoken. Words wouldn’t do them justice.” The look of reluctance was all too evident now, and upon seeing this in her fiancé’s eyes, Ena understood his unwillingness.

“Then we shan’t ask,” she decided. “You do not have to speak of such memories if you do not wish to, my love. We can simply shelve that for another occasion.”

“...Thanks, Ena,” said the Goldoan prince. “Indeed, what I went through...it’s not something I want to speak about right now. Maybe at some point in the future, I will find the will to speak of it.” He was about to say more, but then a servant approached the table, and placed a plateful of food in front of him. “Ah, good! Breakfast!” he said, perking up. “Thank you very much!” he called back to the servant.

And with that, he dug in. He seemed to be happier as he got some food into him, and the dark look in his eyes had faded before long. But Ena hadn’t forgotten it, and as she watched him eat, she thought back to what he said earlier. 

_‘Better left unspoken’...Just what did Rajaion see?_ She thought back to the scene in the basement of Gritnea Tower, with all of the mutilated bodies, and the horrified reaction received from Ike and Ranulf upon seeing it. _Rajaion would’ve seen all of that. And...he would’ve experienced it,_ she realised. _To be driven to ferality...Goddess above, he must have suffered a great deal….Little wonder he does not wish to speak of it. Another time, Ena. When the time is right._ And so she returned to her own food, putting that thought to rest for now.

Of course, Rajaion was hungry, so it was some time, and several plates’ worth of food, before he was full. By that time, most of the room had left, and the dragons were among the few left in the room. Both Ena and Nasir had finished their meals, and patiently waited for their crown prince to finish his breakfast.

“Mmm...That was tasty,” he remarked. “The Crimeans sure know how to make a good meal.”

“That’s true,” seconded Ena. “The food here is...quite extravagant. In fact, Grandfather and I were speaking of a similar topic before your arrival, about how we desired to taste the fruits of Goldoa once again.”

“...Me too,” the prince said to this. “I’d like to see Goldoa once again. To see my fellow dragons again, and to see Kurth again. I even miss Father...although I can’t say I’m looking forward to the inevitable rebuke I’ll receive for disobeying Goldoan neutrality. ...I guess I’ll just have to grit my teeth and bear it.”

“I should imagine we will all face a reprimand from His Majesty,” Nasir replied. “None are allowed to pass the border, whether it is in or out. ...Although...I can’t help but wonder if...relief will overtake authority on this occasion. The relief of seeing his eldest son, who has been missing for twenty years. You might well get off with no punishment.”

“...Do you really think so?” Rajaion queried.

“Of course. His Majesty is known for his unyielding stoicism, but there are times in the past where emotion has taken precedence over logic. I still remember the day all those centuries ago, when you were but a youngling and had ventured into and gotten lost in the caverns of Ramani. The castle was in chaos, and His Majesty had suspended all meetings until you had been found. Queen Karmeis was in hysterics, and he was not much better off. The relief when you had been found was unbelievable. That, above all, signifies our king’s love for you, Your Highness. I would not be surprised if that feeling of relief occurs once more.”

“...Maybe.” But the dragon prince sounded doubtful. “But that was many, many decades ago. And since then, a lot’s happened. For beorc, it’d be generations. And even for us dragons, it’s still a great amount of time. Enough time for someone’s demeanour to change. I don’t see Father being lenient to me after I effectively deserted Goldoa to save Almedha from Ashnard’s clutches.”

“...I almost forgot,” Nasir realised. “...Ena had told me that was why you had ventured all the way to Daein. In order to save Princess Almedha…”

“...Sister...” Rajaion mumbled to himself. “Did she make it out? Was I able to save her in the end? Ena...when you were in Daein...you wouldn’t happen to have caught any sight of Almedha, did you?”

“...I’m afraid not,” answered Ena sadly. “I saw no sign of her during my time in Daein. I would’ve been able to have discern her from the rest of the beorc there. ...Oh, but I did ask about her. ...According to the Daeins, the story went that she passed away in childbirth along with her child.”

“But that can’t be,” Rajaion refuted. “Ashnard clearly threatened the life of both Almedha and her son if I didn’t come to Daein. That must’ve meant they were still alive by the time I arrived in Daein. But I never saw them at all…”

“...Hold a moment,” Nasir interrupted, rather shocked by one part of the prince’s words. “Lady Almedha has a son?”

“Yes...she does,” Rajaion replied. “At least, from what Ashnard threatened me with. ‘If you don’t come to Daein, then you’ll never see your sister or nephew again,’ he told me. That was the gist of what he said, anyway. ...I wonder...did they manage to escape from him? Please, goddess, let it be so…”

“...Lady Almedha had a son...I presume with King Ashnard?” Nasir queried, a nod from Rajaion confirming this. “Then...her child would be one of the branded, no?”

“...And?” the Goldoan prince said. “So what if they are branded? That doesn’t matter. Family is family at the end of the day. And no matter their race, I will not turn a blind eye to them. I don’t care if they’re branded; I will not leave them hanging. And I refused to leave Almedha and my nephew under the will of a tyrant like Ashnard. Wouldn’t you do the same, if it was Ena that needed to be saved from the grips of a madman?”

“...Indeed, I would,” replied the white dragon. “I don’t blame you for making the choice you did, Your Highness. It’s only natural you would wish to save Lady Almedha. And...I’m also grateful to hear that you do not hold the same prejudice towards branded as many others of our race would probably possess.”

“I do not blame you either, Rajaion,” Ena added. “I know I protested against you leaving so close to our marriage, but in retrospect, your decision was understandable. Lady Almedha was dear to you, after all.”

“...I know,” Rajaion said. “...I only wish I could’ve done more...If I hadn’t been overconfident and assumed my power as a prince of Goldoa would overcome anything, then we wouldn’t be in this mess. We could’ve resumed our lives sooner, and all of this wouldn’t have happened. ...Ena, Nasir...I’m sorry to both of you.” And with that, he despondently got up and left the room before any more could be said. 

He didn’t head far, merely to a nearby balcony where there was no one and he could take in the air. Sadness wasn’t something he liked to show in front of others, because like happiness, it could be a rather contagious emotion. _Don’t blame yourself for it, blame Ashnard,_ he willed himself. But the dragon couldn’t deny his feelings, and despite the promise he made to his mother to not blame himself, he couldn’t find the will to if only he had been successful in subduing Ashnard, then he would have rescued his sister and nephew, Ena and Nasir wouldn’t have had to subject themselves to that psychotic king, and he wouldn’t have had to go through that gruelling process of becoming a Feral One…

 _Stop it!_ he told himself, biting his lip. _Stop thinking about that right now! That was an ordeal and a half, and I’d take anything over going through it a second time. Stop it...Stop it…!_ Rajaion found himself rapidly breathing in and out, as he tried to suppress those horrible memories. 

It was lucky that he had begun to calm down by the time Ena and Nasir arrived, followed by a green-haired beorc woman that Rajaion didn’t recognise. 

“Ah, there you are, Rajaion,” Ena called to him. When she got closer, she couldn’t help but notice the slightly distressed look on his face. “...Rajaion? Are you alright, my love?”

“I’m fine,” he answered. “Just...combatting a resurgence of bad memories.” He then let out a long sigh. “Sorry you have to see me like this, Ena. Especially so soon after our reunion.”

“We all have moments like that, Rajaion,” the red dragon replied. “Don’t feel ashamed about the past. Instead, let’s look to the future, where the two of us can be happy and united once more.”

“...And I will, now that you’ve motivated me,” said the dragon prince, feeling a bit better about things now. At that point, he looked over at the beorc woman. “Who’s this, Ena?”

“This is Queen Elincia herself,” answered Ena. “Just after you left the dining room, she approached us and expressed a desire to speak with you.”

“Indeed, I would,” Elincia continued. “...But forgive me if this isn’t the best time.”

“No, no, it’s perfectly fine,” assured Rajaion. “So...you’re the Queen Elincia I’ve heard much about this morning. It’s an honour to meet you.” He outstretched his hand to her.

“It is an honour to meet you too, Prince Rajaion,” Elincia replied, taking his hand. The resulting handshake was a friendly one, and both parties smiled, happy to get to know one another. “A prince of Goldoa...May I ask? ...Are you perchance related to Prince Kurthnaga?”

“Kurthnaga? Yes, he’s my younger brother...You know him?” Rajaion queried, surprised at the mention of his sibling.

“I do. When I had fled to Gallia, King Caineghis had proposed to me the idea of gaining Begnion’s support against Daein,” informed the Crimean queen. “And so Lord Ike and I sailed to Begnion. Unfortunately, we were attacked by Kilvas pirates off the Goldoan coast, and we were beached on a reef, unable to progress. A group of Goldoan dragons berated Lord Ike for straying onto Goldoan land, and for a moment, I feared a confrontation between him and them. 

“But then Prince Kurthnaga appeared, right when intervention was at its most necessary. In an instant, the hostility ceased, and he directed his subjects to help us out of our predicament. And in return, he demanded nothing, even when offered payment. ...What a kindhearted soul Prince Kurthnaga was. Without him, we would’ve been unable to continue our voyage to Begnion. And had he not arrived when he did, I fear there would’ve been a confrontation that would’ve been unlikely to win against. The power of the dragon laguz isn’t renowned without reason.”

“Well, that I can’t deny,” the dragon prince responded to the last part of Elincia’s conversation. “...So Kurth helped you out of a bind, eh? ...Good for him. Alleviating a situation without conflict or damaging the status quo of Goldoa...I’ll certainly congratulate him when I return home.”

“And may you give my regards to him?” the green-haired beorc requested. “I am indebted to him for his help.”

“Of course. I’ll see to it he receives your gratitude,” promised Rajaion. “Your servants helped to save my life, after all. It’s the least I can do in return.”

“...You needn’t feel the need to repay me,” Elincia replied. “Your gratitude is enough. I will demand nothing in return, just as Prince Kurthnaga did.”

“...You know...with that response, I feel kind of like all those commonfolk I’ve helped over the decades,” commented the Goldoan prince. “No matter how much I tried to insist that I didn’t need any form of payment for a job, they always gave me a wage or homemade goods or a dinner with them. I suppose I was appreciative of their gratitude, but I’m the crown prince of Goldoa! I live more comfortable lives than they do, and yet still they insist on a form of repayment. And...I think that’s how I feel now. I don’t think it’s fair that you go unrepaid for saving my life…”

“There is no need to repay me, Prince Rajaion,” the Crimean queen responded. “Please, I insist. It is perfectly alright. We did what was natural of anyone, given the situation. The fact that you are alive and well is enough of a repayment.”

“...I suppose that’ll have to do,” Rajaion said, though he still didn’t feel fully satisfied about leaving that end loose, in his mind at least. “...How about we change the subject?”

“Yes, we should,” Elincia agreed. “Because I would like to pose a question that has been on my mind since you were admitted into the healing ward here.”

“What would that be?” wondered the dragon.

“...It is known that Goldoa is a land whose isolationism has earned renown,” Elincia began. “No one may enter its lands unless specially demanded by the king of Goldoa. The rest of Tellius has no diplomatic ties with Goldoa, and what few books exist on the topic of Goldoa do not tell us a huge amount about the country. Therefore...I am curious. What business did you, Prince Rajaion, the crown prince of Goldoa, have in Daein? And how were you captured by King Ashnard?”

“...” Rajaion’s curiosity immediately turned into reluctance. The question only reminded him of those horrid memories he had just suppressed, being all alone in that dank, damp cell, being subject to the drugs of that mad scientist, and being reminded of his failure to save his sister...

“Well...that’s...it’s…” he tried to muster.

“Queen Elincia,” Nasir interjected, once he’d seen the look in his prince’s eyes. “It may not be my place to intervene in this conversation, but...perhaps you should consider His Highness’s feelings in regards to your question. ...Sometimes memories are the exact thing one wishes to flee from,” he alluded.

“...Oh! Forgive me,” gasped Elincia, her hands clasped over her mouth in horror, as she realised what the white dragon’s words were implying. “I did not mean to unearth bad memories...I apologise greatly for my misstep.”

“...” Rajaion couldn’t quite mutter an assurance otherwise. At least, not before Lucia approached the group.

“Your Majesty,” she began. “The meeting of nobles is due to start soon. It would be best if we were not late for it.”

“So soon? ...Time has flown this morning,” Elincia said, with a hint of dismay. “I apologise, Prince Rajaion. I must go. Will we pick this conversation up another time?”

“...Yes,” Rajaion said, finding the will to speak. “...Maybe then, I might be able to properly answer your question.”

“...I will see you later, then, Prince Rajaion,” Elincia said, before leaving with Lucia. 

Once they were gone, Rajaion let out a long, depressed sigh.

“...Rajaion?” Ena asked. “Are you well? That look of reluctance in your eyes has returned.”

“...Am I alright? ...I really don’t know, Ena…” the black dragon admitted honestly. “...I get the feeling these bad memories of mine aren’t going to go away anytime soon, if even the mere thought of them makes me falter in front of others…”

“...These memories of yours do appear to be having an effect on you,” commented Nasir. “Might I suggest some form of therapy?”

“No, I’m fine,” Rajaion rejected. “Hopefully, this is just a slump I’m going through and I’ll be over it before long.”

“...If you insist,” accepted the white dragon. “But do not hesitate to speak to either me or Ena if ever your memories resurface. You are not alone, Your Highness. It helps to have another to listen to your grievances.”

“We are here for you, Rajaion,” Ena seconded. “I would gladly listen to your troubles if you have any. You listened to my woes when my mother and father passed away. Without hesitation would I lend you an ear if you so desired it.”

“...Thank you, Ena. And Nasir too. I will call upon you if it comes to that,” the prince promised, feeling a bit better now.

“Of course. But if trauma ever overcomes you, please do not withhold your feelings,” Nasir advised. “I should imagine anyone would feel greatly disturbed by the gruesome sights that existed in Gritnea Tower.”

“...Gritnea Tower? Where’s that?” Rajaion queried. 

“...It was a place where laguz were taken to in order to be made into Feral Ones for Daein,” Ena informed. “...Just as you were, my love. You were not the only one who suffered in the way you did.”

“...I see,” said the dragon prince. “...Actually, speaking of which, while we’re on the subject of the war...I need to be caught up on some things. Like I said earlier, it’s still rather hazy when I try to recall that time. So...I may need to be filled in on just what happened in those years.”

“...Well…” Ena uttered, wondering where to start. “...Would it be alright if we moved to somewhere more private first?”

“That’s fine,” permitted the black dragon. “...It’s getting a bit chilly out here anyway. I’d appreciate if we moved somewhere with not as much of a cool breeze”

“...It’s the middle of summer,” Nasir said, somewhat confused. “Most Crimeans would consider this weather to be quite warm, and this breeze to a blessed relief from the heat.”

“But I’m not Crimean, am I?” rebutted Rajaion. “I’m more used to Goldoa’s hotter climate. Even our wet season’s warmer than this. If this is summer, then I’d rather not experience the winter.”

“I should imagine you wouldn’t like Daein’s winters, then,” Ena inputted. “They can be awfully frigid, and the usual thick snow only adds to that chill. For me, it was inoperable to work in unless I had a roaring fire next to me to warm my bones.”

“...Sounds rather brutal,” commented her fiancé. “But I do hear the snow is seen as being somewhat magical, in the way it paints the land in white and how people sometimes partake in ‘snowball fights.’ Mother once told me about how she, Father, Altina and Soan and their allied force all partook in a snowball fight at the proposal of one of Altina’s men. And she said that was one of her favourite memories of that time.”

“...Mm. That is interesting, Your Highness,” Nasir replied. “But with all due respect, we must get back to the topic at hand.”

“...Oh,” Rajaion said in realisation. “Sorry, got off track. Now where were we? ...Oh yes, looking for somewhere more private than this. Well, where to, then?”

“Follow me,” Ena instructed, and she led the way through the many halls of the castle. Eventually, she led them back to the guest bedrooms, and entered her own room. Rajaion and Nasir followed her in, and the latter shut the door behind them. “This should be private enough.”

“Hopefully it will,” said the dragon prince. “Now then...where do we begin?” 

“...I suppose...I’ll begin around nineteen years ago,” Ena decided to start at. “ It was some time after you had left for Daein to rescue Almedha and her nephew. You hadn’t returned from Daein, and as the days passed, I only became more convinced that something had happened to you. And so...I made the decision to head to Daein, to find you. I appointed Krimor to handle affairs in Elpis while I was gone, and left the country not long after that.”

“Krimor?” mentioned Nasir. “The young knight?”

“Yes. Though now, he’s actually been promoted to one of the top commanders of Elpis’ regiment of knights, as recommended by his father,” elaborated the pink dragon. “He has prestige among our community, and is charismatic and well-liked by the people. And he is a capable leader who looks out for his fellow people. Those were among the reasons I chose him to be the temporary regent of Elpis while I was away. ...But I digress.

“I left Goldoa and travelled to Daein in search of you, Rajaion. Although the landscape was wholly unfamiliar and I was in a land renowned for their hatred of laguz, I pressed on, for your sake. And that led me to Nevassa, where King Ashnard dwelled. With observation, I was able to find a gap in the patrols and managed to sneak into the castle, with the intent to find you, or maybe even the Mad King. 

“However...not everything went to plan.”

* * *

**Nineteen years ago...**

What a dark, cold place, _Ena thought to herself as she crept through the halls of Daein Keep. Her assessment was not far off: aside from the bright red carpet running through the hall she was currently in, the walls and flooring were the colour of slate, the suits of armour were dark black, and the overcast weather outside added to the gloom of the castle._

 _She’d been in this place for a few hours now, and she had been lucky so far, with no guard spotting her or even being suspicious of another presence in the hall. What she sought now was the way to some kind of prison where Rajaion was probably held. But the castle was like a maze, and Ena had no knowledge of where exactly the prison, if the castle had one, would be located._ No matter, _the dragon thought to herself._ I will find you eventually, my love. Just hang on a little while longer…

_When she passed one room, the dragon heard a series of voices discussing something from what looked to be a strategy room._

_“...So Talrega was taken back by Begnion?” the voice of a man voice spoke out. Ena chose not to see who they were, for fear she would be caught. But at the same time, she listened in, trying to glean any potential information that could help her._

_“Indeed, it was,” another voice, also a man, replied scathingly. “And I heard quite a few details about it. ...Unbelievable. I heard the army there had the numbers to resist Begnion’s advance, but even then we couldn’t win. It just goes to show how shorthanded we are on tacticians. ...Not to speak poorly of His Majesty’s greatness, but...with all due respect, strength alone won’t cut it. There has to be some tactical prowess in the ranks. Otherwise what use is strength? The main reason why we could resist Begnion for as long as we could during the Great Continental War is because we had the tactical strength to outwit them and prove numbers don’t mean everything. Tacticians are just as vital to an army than soldiers.”_

_“Well, you can’t fight a war without soldiers,” countered the other person._

_“I know_ that, _you idiot,” spat the second man. “But you can’t_ win _a war without good tactics. You can’t just throw a load of men at a campaign and hope that’ll solve your problems. You need some brains to complement the brawn. What my point is, Lazarus, is that if we are to achieve the great glory that His Majesty prophesises, we need both brains and brawn. Not one or the other. Both. And only a fool would believe otherwise.”_

No clues in there, _Ena decided, after listening to the conversation about tactics for a while. Fearing she’d be spotted, she quickly moved on._

 _But after a while, she still hadn’t found any sort of pathway to a prison. The pink dragon was admittedly feeling a bit frustrated by her lack of progress._ Must beorc castles be so complicated? _she thought to herself._ Every hour I spend lost in this place equals one hour where Rajaion remains unfree. If only you were here, my love...you would be much better at this navigation than I would ever be…

 _It had also occurred to her that she wasn’t even aware of just what King Ashnard looked like. Rajaion had described him as malevolent and evil, but he hadn’t alluded to any looks the Daein king possessed. Ena imagined in her head someone like King Dheginsea, who bore an imposing presence and carried an aura of authority about him._ Now where to find someone like that…? _she pondered._ I should think someone like that would stick out like a sore thumb. And should I come across him, I must also have a plan of action. If I happened upon King Ashnard...then what? Will he fight me? Or...will he have a trap prepared? Heavens, I hope that’s not the case. If it comes to that… _She fingered the olivi grass in her pocket._ I shall unleash my power. I must return to Goldoa with Rajaion, and if that means killing Ashnard and causing potential instability in Daein, then so be it. His Majesty would rue me for this, but...I cannot dwell on such thoughts now. Rajaion is in peril, and I must rescue him.

_Ena continued along the hallway. She listened out closely for any approaching guards as she did so, intending to duck into hiding should one come her way. There was nearly always something that she could hide behind; a suit of armour, a curtain or a windowsill always proved sufficient for her._

_But then she heard marching footsteps from behind, and it was in an area where there happened to be no objects to hide behind._ Curse my luck, _Ena thought to herself._ Why must it be now that hiding is not an option? I need somewhere. Anywhere to avoid detection…

 _It was a stroke of luck that she saw a door in that moment right ahead of her._ Perfect. That will do. _Quickly, she headed for that door and entered the room._

_However, in all the rush, the pink dragon never considered the possibility that the room might have people in it. This only occurred to her after she had entered what was clearly some sort of meeting room. It wasn’t packed, but there was one lone man in the room, who turned around to face Ena._

_He was a beorc man who towered over her. He possessed blue hair, and wore blue robes, though with dark armour over his chest, and oddly enough, spiked pauldrons._

_But the details that struck Ena the most about him were his regal crimson cape, as well as the imposing, authoritative aura that radiated around him. The latter of which, she had only felt it to this extent when she had met with none other than King Dheginsea himself. And the former gave away that this man was at the least, a prominent figure in the Daein nobility, and at the most...exactly the person Ena had been looking for._ I have no doubt in my mind this man is him. The man who currently holds Rajaion hostage...

_“Well, well, well. Who do we have here?” His voice was menacing, and admittedly, Ena felt slightly frightened upon hearing it. But she tried her best to keep a brave face and confront him without showing any hints of fear._

_“...You must be King Ashnard,” the pink dragon surmised._ He who held Lady Almedha hostage, and her little son as well...This man is vile, _she thought._ _And she could sense that vileness too. The man’s aura, along with its awesome, commanding presence seemed to exude malice and malevolence as well._

_“...That I am.” His voice, too, contained a degree of that same sinistry that Ena sensed within him._

_“Where is he?” she immediately demanded. “Where is Rajaion?!”_ This man has done something to Rajaion. I know it!

_The king of Daein did not answer, and kept the same stolid expression. Then, after a period of silence, he spoke._

_“...Heh heh heh heh…_ Aha ha ha ha ha _!” laughed Ashnard evilly, which sent a chill down Ena’s spine. “So another dragon comes, like a moth to flame. Who would’ve thought a simple threat would herald so much success?” A grin of gleeful malice crossed his face. “...Would you like to see Prince Rajaion? By the way you refer to him, he must be dear to you...A love interest, perhaps?” His wicked grin grew._

_“...That’s no business of yours,” Ena rejected. “I will not ask again. Where is Rajaion?” Anger crept into her voice._

_“...Come, and I will show you,” the king ordered, before turning and leaving the room, the dragon trailing behind him. As they walked along, guards bowed and saluted to their king, and Ena felt a few curious gazes peer into her, presumably wondering who the new face was. She didn’t pay attention to this, instead focusing on where Ashnard was taking her. She noticed more guards and others looking at her oddly, and in that moment, she felt a realisation creep into her._

If they knew the truth about me, I would be dead in an instant. That is, if the stories about Daein’s brutality to laguz are true. I can only hope they don’t put two and two together and realise that I am no beorc.

_Then, another thing came to her._

What if this is a trap? What if King Ashnard plots this as a deception to lure me into some form of trap? What if Rajaion was similarly deceived? Am I making a mistake by doing this? _Her nervosity was increasing by the second._

 _And this feeling only heightened as Ashnard travelled all the way outside, and to the stables of all places. The questions rolling through Ena’s mind were a flurry._ Why is King Ashnard going here? What reason could he have for going here? Is Rajaion here? But why? If Ashnard has him held captive, would he not be in a dungeon, behind cell bars? 

_Like in the hallways, the stable hands maintaining the king’s horses and wyverns briefly stopped their work to acknowledge the king’s presence. However, the man took little notice of them, and continued on his path._

_Ena looked over at one of the wyverns as she passed. It was having its armour taken off it by a stable hand, and it stretched a wing as the armour there was taken off. The scaly creature intrigued the red dragon, in the sense that it was not too different to her fellow kin. But wyverns didn’t inhabit Goldoa, mainly inhabiting Daein and northern Begnion, so it was interesting to see one in person._

Like us dragons...Like Rajaion, _she suddenly realised._ Is this why King Ashnard is leading me here? Has he demeaned Rajaion to a mere animal, because he is a laguz? How abhorrent if that is the reasoning for this…

_It was an extensive stable, but where Ashnard was headed was a place different to the rest. It seemed to be a special kind of stable, guarded by soldiers. They bowed as the king approached, before he and his colleague stood aside. The mad king continued, with Ena in tow. And as they walked into this special wing of the stables, the dragon suddenly realised something._

Rajaion’s here, _she detected._ Somehow, I sense he is here. But...what is this unease I feel? ...It must be a fear of seeing what condition he may be in. I cannot imagine Ashnard has been even the slightest bit benevolent to him. ...And yet...still, something does not add up. Whatever is going on here?

_At that moment, a growl echoed from within the stable._

_A growl that Ena noticed had draconic undertones to it._

_“...Rajaion?” she uttered out loud. It sounded a bit like him, and somehow she doubted it would be a common wyvern, given that this was clearly from a much bigger creature._

_But...something was wrong. Something about the growl sounded...beastly. Wild. Feral. There was some quality about it that sent a shiver down Ena’s spine._

...Something’s wrong. Rajaion would never normally growl in such a way. ...Only when he was truly angry. If it is Rajaion...please, goddess, let him be alright...

 _“...And there he is.” Ashnard’s booming voice drew Ena away from her thoughts, and she realised she had fallen slightly behind him. “Crown Prince Rajaion of Goldoa himself. And what a marvellous sight!_ Gah ha ha ha ha ha ha _!”_ _he laughed, a hint of triumph in his voice._

_Hearing confirmation that her fiancé was there, the pink dragon rushed to see for her own eyes whether he was there._

_But when she saw what was there...immediately, she wished she hadn’t laid eyes on the sight._

_Rajaion was indeed there._

_But…_

_“...What in the goddess’s name is this?” Ena gasped, putting her hands to her mouth in horror at what she saw. “Rajaion! What’s happened to you? What have you done to him?!”_

_He was transformed, his enormous frame taking up a good amount of the stable he was in. But that was not what caught Ena’s attention._

_Rather...it was the insanity that had seemed to overcome him._

_In the past form, his dragon form was always a grandiose, magnificent form, and Ena would always look upon the dragon prince’s laguz form with awe when he transformed. There was also an air of dignity and grace about it, almost as a reflection of the black dragon’s princely status._

_But there was no grace and dignity about the sight before the pink dragon. The dragon behind the bars was growling and snarling like a deranged animal, and drool fell from the sides of his mouth as if he were rabid. His eyes, although normally possessing a predatorial, slitted look when in dragon form, were instead bloodshot with craze. It was like Rajaion did not inhabit the body of the jet-black dragon anymore, and instead his conscience had been swapped for that of a feral beast._

_“What...is this?” Ena questioned, shocked and horrified by what she was seeing._

_“...What you see before you is the brilliance of a special drug at work,” Ashnard answered. “Rajaion proved to be quite a strong adversary, befitting of a dragon. Any fool would’ve killed him and used his scales for armour plating. But strength cannot be amassed from a dead body. Why let such power go to waste? What if instead, you could bend that power to your will? That is the beauty of the feral drug. It allows one to harness that power and enhance it even further by keeping in this form and making him unable to change to his human form. Prince Rajaion was a rebellious one when in captivity. But the feral drug has transformed his mind into that of a Feral One. And now...he is now my loyal subject. What power he holds! What ferocity he dishes out! It’s beautiful! It’s wonderful! Gah ha ha!_ Ah ha ha ha ha ha _!”_

_“That...That can’t be,” the dragon laguz responded, unable to believe what she had heard. “Rajaion is an honest and noble soul. He would never bow to the likes of you!”_

_“...Hah. Ha ha ha! You really think that?” Ashnard mockingly scoffed. “Then let us put what you say to the test.” He strode forward, opened the cell door, and to Ena’s shock, he_ closed and locked the door behind him.

There’s no way, _Ena thought to herself._ There’s no way Rajaion will capitulate to Ashnard. He can’t...not after all he’s done. Please, Rajaion, if you’re there...resist him with every last fibre of your being. You have to!

_Rajaion was still growling at Ashnard as the two stared each other down. Just as the dragon’s growls increased in volume, the Daein king suddenly boomed a command._

_“Heel, Rajaion!”_

_The growls stopped. The feral dragon had lessened his ferocity towards the man. It was still baring its teeth towards Ashnard, but now it bowed its head in a subservient way to him - the exact thing Ena said he wouldn’t do. The red dragon could only watch with astonishment as her fiancé submitted to the mad king._

_“...Do you see now?” Ashnard said, turning his gaze to Ena. “These are the actions of a loyal servant. This is how a Feral One is meant to be. Your crown prince is beholden to me now. Whatever trace of his humanity was present before has been eradicated. You came all this way for nothing.”_

_“...No…Rajaion...” Ena despondently murmured, the mad king’s words striking her straight in the heart. She had come all the way to Daein, breaking the six-hundred year old law of Goldoa’s isolation, to go and rescue her beloved, but now he was this...this..._ monster, _with seemingly no shred of his original identity. Seeing him degraded to a stage like this brought tears to the pink dragon’s eyes._

_“Rajaion!” Ena cried out in desperation. “Please wake up! This isn’t you! Ashnard has you under his control! Please, my love, you must snap out of it! It’s me, Ena! Your fiancé! The person you are to marry in only a few months! I beg of you, Rajaion! You must recognise me!” She looked directly into her deranged mate-to-be’s eyes as she pleaded to him._

_In the middle of her pleas, Rajaion began to snarl and growl again. They contained the same aggressive, deranged tone as before, but curiously, the dragon’s nose was at work, trying to discern the scents of the room. And at one point, its snarling increased in volume and the laguz became increasingly restless. This, the Daein king took note of._

_“Silence, Rajaion!” Ashnard thundered, before slamming his fist into the dragon’s head. However, this didn’t seem to placate the noise he made, and his snarls continued. This in turn, only angered the Mad King further. “Guards!”_

_On command, the two guards guarding the entrance marched into the room, lances at the ready. “Your Majesty!” one of them called out. “Your orders?”_

_“Seize the girl!” demanded Ashnard angrily. “Deliver her to the dungeon. After that...I have a perfect plan for her. She’ll become an asset to us soon enough.”_

_What the Daein king meant by those last words, Ena realised in that moment. One look at her crazed fiancé led her to this realisation._ He intends to make me into the same kind of monster as Rajaion, _she thought._ No, I can’t let that happen! I must think of something!

_“You’re coming with us, girl,” one of the guards said to her. “Hop to it.”_

_“...I refuse,” Ena declined, before quickly delivering a punch to the man’s face, which ended up breaking the man’s nose. He cried out in pain, and staggered in reaction to the pain, as blood trickled from his nostrils._

_“Don’t struggle!” ordered the other guard. “Stupid bitch!” He caught her other arm and managed to pin it behind her back. Ena fought hard to struggle against his grip, and it was of great surprise to the beorc soldier how much strength she possessed behind her lithe figure. She worked to overpower him, as well as the other soldier who had recovered and now attempted to help his comrade to restrain the dragon laguz. All the while, her mind was ablaze, wondering what to do next to get out of this situation she had gotten herself into._

I’m not leaving without Rajaion, _she firmly decided, when she looked over and saw her crazed fiancé being restrained by Ashnard._ I will not return to Goldoa until he is sane once more and out of Ashnard’s control. I must find a way to cure him. To do so...close observation might be required, if I can potentially find a cure for that madness of his. I’ll need to stay close. But how, without becoming what Rajaion has become?

“I heard the army there had the numbers to resist Begnion’s advance, but even then we couldn’t win. It just goes to show how shorthanded we are on tacticians.”

 _It was somewhat odd that in that moment, the rant Ena had heard earlier recalled itself in her head. But now, the dragon suddenly realised a potential path forward._ It would mean submission to Ashnard, _she also realised._ But...if it means unshackling Rajaion from this insanity that has been forced upon him...then I will work with him. Whatever it takes to restore my beloved’s condition…

_“King Ashnard!” she called out. “I have a proposal to make to you.”_

_“...A proposal?” the king scoffed. It was at this point that he gave up trying to restrain Rajaion, and exited the cell to face Ena directly, ignoring the restless snarling from his mount. “What bluster will come out of your mouth, I wonder? Do you not realise your situation?”_

_“I am fully aware of it,” the dragon replied. “But...there are problems with your own current situation. Specifically...military-wise.” She noticed Ashnard’s eyes narrowing in anger, and continued. “I overheard news of the failure to defend Talrega, and complaints of a lack of good tacticians within your army. That is indeed a problem.”_

_“...You dare mock the integrity of our army in front of His Majesty?” one of the guards questioned, insulted. “You have some nerve, woman!”_

_“I’m only stating the facts,” Ena replied._ Well, at least from what I overheard. _“As it so happens...I have something of a penchant for tactics myself. ...I can help you regain Talrega, and help further your other ambitions for Daein. Tactical prowess can often be the difference between victory and defeat. A change in tactics can easily turn the tides in battle. I will see to it victory will be a common occurrence with the tactics I know of. That is...if you accept my offer.”_

 _Looking at the king, the red dragon noted that he did not look pleased. Perhaps it was the reminder of his failure to keep Talrega, or perhaps it was the offer that conflicted him. A laguz in the ranks would be a defiance of Daein’s creed: being the nation that hated laguz with a fiery passion. But if she was admitted, perhaps many victories could be attained. Maybe it would be a price worth paying, from what Ena imagined of Ashnard’s point of view._ Please say yes. Please say yes, _she silently begged._

_“...Fine. I’ll humour you,” Ashnard decided, after a lengthy mulling over. “First thing tomorrow, you will be assigned to lead the retaking of Talrega from Begnion. If you are as good as you say, it should be a cinch. An easy victory that will put Begnion back in their foolish, devout mindset. But if you fail...then you know what will happen. Don’t you?” He flashed a threatening look at her._

_“I will not fail you,” Ena pledged. “I promise. ...Your Majesty.” She inwardly cringed as she said those last words._ To refer to one as ‘Your Majesty’ requires them to be a figure of greatness, one who is peerless in character and strength and stands head and shoulders above the rest of his people. ...This man has no right to be referred to by such a title.

_“...Good. You’re coming to heel already…” Ashnard grinned evilly. “...Escort her to a guest room,” he ordered to the guards. “We shall discuss your plan to retake Talrega later. ...But one slip-up, one misstep, one failure...and I will make much better use of you.”_

_“Your warnings have been taken note of, Your Majesty,” accepted the dragon laguz._ “ _I will ensure the reclamation of Talrega will be a success. You have my word.” And with that, the guards escorted her out._

_A few thoughts drove Ena as she was escorted away. Specifically...thoughts about what happened in the stable. On recollection, she’d noticed more details than she had in the thick of the moment._

_She remembered that Rajaion had resumed his growling right around when she’d called her name out. She also recalled the fact that Ashnard could not restrain Rajaion’s restless fit that followed after, not long after he claimed that the dragon prince was completely under his control._

Could it be...he’s not completely under Ashnard’s control? _Ena thought to herself._ If he reacted to my pleas in such a way, then...he must recognise me. Even in his craze...he recognised me. ...There is hope yet. _The thought lifted her heart. Now there was a chance. She just had to make him snap out of whatever kind of insanity he had been warped with._

Rajaion...I promise you...Someday...we will be together again.

* * *

“That thought would compel me going forward,” Ena continued, with Rajaion and Nasir listening intently. “I planned the retaking of Talrega, and it proved successful, with very few casualties on Daein’s side. From then on, I would act as a tactician for Ashnard for the next nineteen years, planning manoeuvres that fuelled his ambitions. All the while, I...tried to get close to you, Rajaion, to try and see if speaking and interacting to you more would work towards recovering you of your insanity. 

“But Ashnard also must have noticed the reaction you as a Feral One had when I entered the stable all that time ago. After I was made one of his strategists, he always tried to keep the two of us separate. I was always barred access from the stables, and more often than not I was kept separate from you, Rajaion. He would nearly always have me travel with the regiment whose strategy I had to formulate, and gave me a near overwhelming workload that kept me from making time to visit you, Rajaion. And it wasn’t like I could just park it and leave it to do for another time. Ashnard made his threat perfectly clear to me on a number of occasions: if I did not carry out the tasks assigned to me, then he would deem me useless and dispose of me. Or worse still...he threatened to administer the feral drug to me and put me to use in another way.”

“...What? He...threatened you?” Rajaion uttered silently, his eyes shining with fury. “That abhorrent man threatened to turn you into a Feral One?”

“...Yes, he did.”

“How dare he…” The dragon prince’s fists were curled up in rage. “How _dare_ he! If that madman were still alive, I would kill him a hundred times over!” He took Ena into his arms and held her close. “...No one threatens you in such a way and lives to tell the tale. And I mean _no one._ They’ll have to deal with my wrath before they even think of laying a finger on you. From now on, that is what I vow. I will never allow you to be entangled in a mess like this again, Ena. ...I’m only sorry I couldn’t prevent your struggles in Daein from happening.”

“It’s alright, Rajaion. ...I forgive you.”

“...So then, what next? I presume the war happened at some point,” Rajaion said. Then his attention turned to Nasir. “But before that, I have to ask, Nasir: when did you come into the picture?”

“...I met Ena when she was at a low point in her time with Daein,” the white dragon answered. “It so happened that at the time, I, with my crew, were delivering cargo to a seaport in Daein. By coincidence, Ena and I happened upon one another. It was...a tender reunion. But I could tell Ena had been through much. And so, she told me all of what had happened, why she was in Daein and not in Goldoa with you, Your Highness. There, I learned the truth. Once I did...I felt I had to help her out. I had failed her once before, when I was not there to comfort her at Mara and Foritaph’s untimely deaths. But despite this, she still came to me for help, and did not reprimand me for my past mistakes. ...I couldn’t fail her again. I had to help her.

“But one way or another, Ashnard caught wind of my appearance to aid Ena. And thus, I became entangled in his spiderweb of connections. This was nearer to the outset of the war, and once it was underway, he put me to use as a spy in Ike’s army. This I did. Although I grew fond of Ike and was reluctant to betray him and his cause...Ena came first. Thus, I stole Lehran’s Medallion and helped give it to Ashnard, as he demanded.”

“Wait a minute. Lehran’s Medallion?” Rajaion queried. “The Fire Emblem? The object that houses the dark god? You mean he...wanted that old thing? ...Was it for power?”

“...That was probably the case,” Ena replied. “Ashnard lusted for power, and sought to obtain the Fire Emblem by any means necessary. He wanted to unleash the power of the dark god, and cared not for what could happen as a result. The embodiment of chaos itself, with unimaginable power...I can see why he desired it.”

“...Disgraceful,” spat Rajaion in disgust. “We hardly need a repeat of what happened eight hundred years ago. It would be one thing to progress a war to such a height that the dark god is awoken by accident...but to purposefully aim to do so? Who benefits from such an arrangement? His enemies, followers, countless innocent lives...all of them would be wiped out if an event like the Great Flood happened once more. Why would anyone desire an outcome like that?”

“...I do not think Ashnard cared,” Ena said to this. “He was barely fazed by the amount of death and destruction that was caused by both sides in the war. He did not even care of his abandonment of Daein Keep and his desertion of his country. He left his men to be killed by the Crimeans in Daein.”

“Not to mention the flooding of Talrega that washed away many fields and destroyed a number of villages in the area,” Nasir mentioned grimly. “Sacrificing citizens for military gain...Ike was horrified by their conditions, so much so he gave aid from the army’s resources to them, even if they were reluctant to take it.”

“...So a horrid tactician as well, who cared not in the slightest for what happened to his people…” Rajaion’s anger was becoming ever more prevalent. “...Good riddance to his death. A man as grotesque and twisted as Ashnard deserves to burn in the most tortuous hell the goddess has to offer. How many lives have been ruined by his deviations and madness? If only I’d finished him off then…!” he cursed, curling his fist.

“Rajaion! It’s fine,” Ena attempted to placate. “He’s dead now...I’m free, you’re free, Grandfather is free, Crimea is free...We don’t have to fear the Mad King anymore.”

“...Of course. Of course...” The Goldoan prince took breaths to calm down. “...We’re all free of his control now. And from here...we can pick up the baton back from where it was dropped. When we get back to Goldoa, we can put those pieces back into place.”

“...I cannot wait to return to that normalcy, my love,” Ena said. “After so long spent separated from you, I want nothing more than to return to those days of peace once more, without the war and strife that was in this conflict. And then...finally, we can officially get married.”

“...Marriage...Yes, I cannot wait,” Rajaion replied, his voice elated. “I love you more than anyone else in the world, Ena. When we become married, I hope our love will be looked upon as an inspiration for all of Goldoa to build upon.”

“...Knowing you, you’ll be able to sway the hearts and minds of the people to think that way with ease,” responded the pink dragon. “The people have an affinity for you, Rajaion. Hopefully, as you say, our love will become legendary.”

“I hope so, too,” the dragon prince seconded, before leaning in for a kiss on the lips. Ena followed suit, and the resulting kiss was loving and tender. It was the kiss of two that loved each other deeply, and the love between the two of them did not go unnoticed by Nasir.

 _I see that Ena was right when she said she loved Rajaion deeply. And it appears Rajaion returns those feelings of hers. No one else, other than perhaps her own kin, has evoked the level of affection and fondness that Rajaion has. No one else but a loving couple can truly experience what he and Ena are feeling right now._ He recalled similar emotions in the past with Ena’s parents, and he himself with his own mate. _Those two...they are definitely meant for one another. I haven’t seen Ena happier with another man. A right choice was indeed made when the two of them decided they would become mates. They love each other with a great passion._

 _Passion...hmm, indeed,_ he thought, looking at Ena, but specifically at her midsection. _If she is, then, how many years has she been…? ...I’ll need to confirm this at some point._

“...Hey, I just thought of something,” Rajaion then said, once he had broken off his kiss with his fiancée. “I thought of something we could do to pass the time.”

“What do you have in mind, my love?” Ena wondered.

“Wait here. I’ll go get it,” the black dragon replied, before leaving the room. 

“...Get what?” pondered the white dragon. 

“Hmm...I’m not sure,” Ena responded. “I suppose we’ll find out.”

A few minutes later, Rajaion returned with an item that immediately made Ena’s eyes light up.

“Is that...a portable chessboard?” Nasir queried.

“Sure is,” the prince answered, a grin on his face. “Fancy a game, Ena?”

“...I would be only too glad to,” was his fiancée’s response. “I’ve missed playing chess with you.”

“Well, let’s not wait any longer, then. Come on. Let’s get set up.” Rajaion quickly laid down the chessboard on the bedroom’s table and opened it out, while Ena helped to lay the various pieces in their correct positions. 

“...I think I’ll leave you two alone for a while,” Nasir said, observing the two setting their game of chess up. “If I knew your mother and father well, Ena, a game of chess would take them hours. ...I’ll arrange some refreshments for the two of you while you play.”

“Thanks, Nasir,” Rajaion said.

“It is no trouble, Your Highness,” the elder dragon replied, before he left the room.

“...He’s not changed in the slightest,” the black dragon remarked. “Nasir’s still the same kindhearted soul he was back when he lived in Goldoa. I always did enjoy when he snuck me sweets behind Father and Mother’s back when I visited Elpis. That was always awfully nice of him. ...Do you think he approves of our marriage?”

“Of course he does,” Ena replied. “But then, I should imagine any parent would be delighted if their daughter was to become betrothed to you. That’s how desirable a man you are, Rajaion. You should not have to fear disapproval from my grandfather.”

“...Good,” Rajaion said. “Now then...let us commence our game.” 

* * *

Nasir’s prediction that the game of chess between the two dragons would take a while was not incorrect. Between strategic debating, stopping to chat about past happenings and taking time to eat the refreshments provided for them, it was a good few hours before Rajaion and Ena came close to ending their match. 

The white dragon returned to the room once more, to see his granddaughter and grandson-in-law-to-be chatting happily.

“So that’s a victory to you, then,” Rajaion was remarking. “That would make it...what was it again? I can’t remember for the life of me what the scoring was…”

“If I recall...you had amassed more victories than I,” Ena replied thoughtfully. “You always were superior at chess than I was.”

“But you were still a tough opponent back then,” pointed out the Goldoan prince. “And judging by this - '' He pointed to the chessboard and the pieces on it. “You still are.”

“...I suppose I’ve had many opportunities to hone my tactical prowess as a tactician for Daein,” said Ena. “Though it has been a while since I had a rewarding opponent in chess.”

“Well, you have one now. And we can gladly play more games in the future.”

“Indeed.” The pink dragon turned to face her grandfather. “Hello, Grandfather. Excuse us for ignoring you.”

“You need not worry,” Nasir said. “...Has the game been decided yet?”

“Yes. Ena won,” Rajaion answered. “...Seems I have tactical skills to brush up on. Then again, it has been a while.”

“But your tactical thinking still retains a good amount of the sharpness it used to have,” Ena complimented. “Even now, I could almost see the gears of strategy in your head grinding new strategies for what you would do next. You still have it, my love.”

“...I probably do. It’s just that my tactical prowess is a bit rusty after years of not tapping into it. I just need to brush up on tactics again and hopefully I’ll have regained my prowess fully. Just needs a bit of touching up, like an old sword with a bit of oil,” compared the black dragon.

“I see your point. But do not drive your revision to the point of excess, my love. Your tactical knowledge still far excels most others.”

“...Well, when you put it like that...maybe I won’t need as much time to get back to form. That’ll mean more sweet time for you and I, Ena…” Rajaion flashed a grin at her.

“...What a charmer you are, Rajaion.” Ena smiled back at him, finding his happiness infectious.

“I do my best with such loving matters. ...By the way, is there something you need, Nasir?” Rajaion turned his attention to the white dragon. “You have the look of someone who wants to get in a word edgeways, but can’t. Something you need to tell us?”

“...I came to tell you that dinner is currently being served,” the white dragon informed. “I was worried about interrupting this game of tension, but it seems I arrived at an opportune moment.”

“Indeed. I am feeling a bit peckish,” the dragon prince responded. “Some dinner would be all too welcome right now. You coming, Ena?”

“Of course,” Ena accepted. “I would never dare pass up on the first dinner with you since your revival from ferality.”

“Well then, it’s settled. Come on then,” urged Rajaion, before leading his fellow dragons to the dining room.

* * *

Dinner was just as packed an event as breakfast was. Many of the diplomats from the coronation were staying for a few days at least, although some others had left earlier that day to go back to their respective domains. But regardless, the crowded nature could be felt when the dragon laguz trio entered. 

“Ah, the dragons of Goldoa!” beamed a bespectacled butler. “This way to your table, please.” He bowed to them, and led them to a table for three, outfitted with a white tablecloth and a vase of flowers at the centre.

“...Carnations?” noted Rajaion. “...They look rather pretty. I wouldn’t mind a bouquet of them for my one and true bride…” He smiled over at Ena.

“Indeed. They are most fetching,” Ena agreed. “And they are a representation of love. A bouquet of them from my beloved would certainly not go unappreciated…” She smiled lovingly back at Rajaion.

 _Get a room already, you two,_ Nasir thought to himself, watching the loving gestures between the two dragons. But he could not resist a smile at the loving words of the couple. He, too, knew the blossoming feeling of love, and was happy to see the two as happy as they were right now.

Soon, the dinners came, and the three dragons dug into their meals. As at breakfast, it was sublime, and it soon led to seconds, thirds and more by Rajaion, Nasir and Ena.

“...That is a good meal,” remarked the dragon prince, after finishing his sixth serving. “...I wonder if I can potentially steal some of these recipes and give them to the chefs back in Goldoa. Queen Elincia’s lucky to be able to eat such sumptuous food every day.”

“Indeed, she is,” agreed Nasir. “...Which reminds me, Your Highness. You still have yet to answer her earlier question regarding why you left Goldoa.”

“...Oh. Oh yeah...I forgot all about that,” muttered Rajaion, his upbeat mood dissipating and reluctance returning to his eyes once more. 

“...That’s the second time it’s happened now,” Ena noted worriedly. “It’s as if your whole demeanour changes when you’re reminded of your time in captivity. ...Rajaion...was it truly so horrible an experience?”

“...Yes.” The prince’s answer was short and simple.

“...If you truly feel this way, then you shouldn’t need to tell Queen Elincia about it. Grandfather and I can do so in your stead.”

“...No,” Rajaion firmly denied. “That’s the easy way out. I will tell her in person, either tonight or tomorrow. It’s not my wish to put it off. I will definitely tell her before we leave. Hand-on-heart promise.”

“...I hope you can keep your word, Your Highness,” Nasir said. “If you declare such a thing as a ‘hand-on-heart promise’, it would be disappointing to see you not carry it out.” 

“And that’s why he will carry out his promise,” Ena defended. “Rajaion does not escape from matters of the heart such as this. Even if in the past he has shirked some of his obligations, he does not back away from things such as this. Isn’t that true, my love?”

“Yes, indeed. I will not back down from this,” Rajaion vowed. “Just words to speak. That’s all. And hopefully, she’ll be sympathetic and kind.”

“True,” Nasir agreed. “Queen Elincia is one fairly beholden to her emotions. I suspect she will apologise and offer sympathies to you for what you suffered through, Your Highness. Hmm...but I do wonder…”

“...What is it, Grandfather?” Ena asked.

“You and her are not so different, Your Highness,” noted the white dragon. “You are both members of royalty. What I wonder is whether she might ask for advice on how to rule from you.”

“From me?” Rajaion said, surprised.

“Of course. You are the heir of Goldoa, after all,” reminded Nasir. “But whereas you have been prepared for the role with many decades of teachings on how to be a proper ruler, Elincia was thrust into the role after both King Ramon and his heir and brother Lord Renning were slain by Daein. I should imagine a part of her is not fully on board with the concept of being a monarch, for she was not groomed to be one like you are, Your Highness. And so a query for advice may be asked by her.”

“...I see your point,” Rajaion replied. “Well, if she asks, I’ll give her some pointers of what I think would make good leadership. ...Though, I never was a king, so...I’m not sure any pointers I could give her will be of use.”

“Don’t think that, Rajaion,” Ena lightly admonished. “Don’t consider your experience worthless. And don’t believe what the Goldoan nobles have said to you before about those ideas of yours being naive. You have strong ideals that many in our kingdom would support, and ideals that I would gladly concur with and uphold for you. I am certain Queen Elincia would appreciate any counsel you might have.”

“I know what you’re saying, Ena,” said the black dragon. “Sorry. I worded that wrong. What I should have said was…’My advice wouldn’t be as good as that of someone in a position like she is in now.’ Yeah, that’s a better way of putting it. Like another monarch. They would be better at giving advice than I would.”

“But your viewpoint would surely be appreciated if it were given,” the red dragon replied. “Queen Elincia does not disparage or disrespect laguz as King Ashnard did. She will see your opinion to be valid and not a mere afterthought. And not to mention, Rajaion, it’s not as if you are without experience of ruling. I still remember when you helped run Elpis when I was grief-stricken following the deaths of my parents. Even if it was temporary, I appreciated it wholeheartedly, as did many of my people.”

“Hm? You ruled Elpis for a time, Your Highness?” Nasir questioned, surprised to hear this.

“It wasn’t for long at all. Barely even a week,” Rajaion explained. “After the tragic passing of Ena’s parents, she was riven by sorrow to the point where she found it hard to even leave her room. I felt she shouldn’t have to feel the pressure of running a satrapy, so I, along with General Melkhart, helped keep things in order while Ena pulled herself together emotionally. In my mind, it was the right thing to do.”

“...It would’ve been,” the white dragon said, before a grateful smile crossed his face. “...Thank you, Your Highness, for helping Ena when she needed it most. I can only regret that I was not there to comfort her, nor was I even aware of her parents’ passing until she informed me upon our reunion. For being there for her, when I was not...I cannot express enough thanks to you.”

“I did what I could to help,” the dragon prince replied. “I couldn’t just let Ena shoulder that burden by her lonesome. I had to help her in a time of mourning that I know all too well. And I did so without a care of what everyone else thought. Rather like my excursions outside of my duties, only this time there was more gravity to this situation. I guess those same instincts to desire helping others out played into that decision I made back then.”

“And as I’ve said many times before, you should not be ashamed of that virtue of yours,” Ena defended. “Look at it this way, Rajaion. The desire to help out others...That could be what compels you to give counsel to Queen Elincia. With your advice, she could potentially carve out a better vision for Crimea.”

“...An interesting angle to put on it, Ena,” Rajaion complimented. “I will give Queen Elincia my personal opinion. But...I’d rather she ask it of me as opposed to me enforcing my views onto her suddenly. I’d rather not come off as a condescending know-it-all who believes himself to be superior to everyone else just because of his longevity and inherited strength. Narrow-minded views from someone like that only leads to complacency and carelessness. She deserves the view of someone of a clearer judgment than that. ...Not someone who believes birthright means everything.” 

Ena couldn’t help but frown at what he said at the end. It came off as somewhat scathing, as if the prince was thinking in disgust of the kind of person he’d described earlier. _A condescending know-it-all who sees himself superior to all else...who does he mean by that?_ She thought back to their time in Goldoa. _Is he indicating a specific person? Because I can think of a good few people that would fit that description…_

But before the pink dragon could progress any further on that thought, another voice broke through the air.

_**“There they are, Brother!”** _

“Hm?” Rajaion looked over to see both Leanne and Reyson approaching their table. The former seemed to be eager to talk to the dragons, and smiled brightly as she approached. 

“Hello, Princess Leanne. And Prince Reyson too,” Ena acknowledged. “It’s good to see you two again.”

 _ **"A**_ ** _nd the same to you, Ena!_** _ **”**_ Leanne said, smiling. _**“**_ ** _...Brother and I came here so we could meet Prince Rajaion in person_** _ **."**_

“Is that so?” Rajaion observed. “Well in that case... ** _it’s an honour to meet you, Princess Leanne and Prince Reyson of Serenes._** _ **”**_

 ** _“_ Y** ** _ou can speak our tongue?_** ” the heron princess asked.

 _ **“**_ ** _ **.**..Partially,_**” answered the crown prince of Goldoa. “ ** _It’s not my main method of speech, so...forgive me if I make a mistake when speaking._** ” The last part was delivered more carefully as Rajaion tried to recollect the words in the ancient language for what he was saying.

“...We can understand you in the modern tongue,” Reyson informed. “You need not speak in the ancient tongue for our sakes. It’s perfectly alright to continue in the modern tongue if you so wish.”

“...Then I’ll do so. My knowledge on the ancient language has admittedly dulled over the years,” confessed Rajaion. “...But that’s not particularly relevant to what I want to discuss with you. ...I was told it was the two of you that sang the galdr that roused me from my ferality.”

“Yes, that’s true,” the heron prince confirmed. “When we saw Ena embrace you, back when you were Ashnard’s mount, the possibility occurred to Leanne and I that you might in fact be a laguz warped by the feral drug. So we sang the galdr of rebirth, and...lo and behold, you were restored to your normal self.”

“...I can’t thank you enough for doing that,” replied Rajaion, gratitude evident in his voice. “Honestly, it was a living hell, being under the influence of that drug. When I heard that song, it felt heavenly, to have that chokehold vanquished at last. It felt like I’d woken up from a truly horrible nightmare. ...I do not know how to thank you. No words would express the gratitude I feel towards the two of you right now.”

“We did what we thought to be right in the moment,” Reyson answered. “...But we had thought that you would not survive due to your grievous injuries. Therefore, it is...a great surprise, to put it mildly, to see you alive and well again.”

“It was. The healers said I was incredibly lucky to be alive,” said the dragon prince. “But thankfully, they managed to patch me up again. I have endless gratitude for them as well. And also, your galdr helped heal me enough for me to wake from my coma. With your aid, as well as theirs, I am able to live life as normal once again. Thank you, truly, for giving me this opportunity...”

“ ** _You don’t need to keep thanking us,_** ” Leanne smiled. “ **_We’re just glad that you’re living again, Prince Rajaion. It would be bad if we couldn’t recover you. Then Ena would have to go the rest of her life without you by her side. That...would be a sad outcome if it ever did happen…_** ”

“...Indeed,” agreed Rajaion. “Ena is the one I have pledged to marry. Few exist in this world that are so dear to me. And she has made it clear to me those feelings resonate within her too. For either of us to lose our loved one would bring despair and anguish to the other. That’s not a pain anyone would wish to bring upon their loved one. ...At least for now, that crisis has been averted, and Ena and I can hopefully return to the life we once had.”

“...You ventured outside of Goldoa,” Reyson pointed out. “...Would that not be a transgression of Goldoan law? It is well known that Goldoa’s borders are forbidden to enter unless certain people have been specially allowed by the king. For the crown prince of the nation to flout those laws...Would King Goldoa not rebuke you for doing such a thing?”

“...Perhaps he might. Certainly, I reckon I’ll receive some form of reprimand from my father when I return home. How severe that reprimand will be, I know not,” admitted the Goldoan prince. “But...I don’t truly know. I’m no seer. He might be furious with me for disobeying his rule. But relief might override anger. Nineteen years might not be too long for us dragons, but...it’s longer when someone dear to you is missing, with no signs of returning home anytime soon. ...The servants did often say Father had a soft spot for me. I was never sure of how true that was, but...maybe he might be more lenient if so. ...Though, emphasis on the _maybe.”_

“...King Goldoa being soft? The very thought is difficult to imagine,” commented the heron prince. “Judging from his stern, serious austerity when I saw him, one would think he knew not the meaning of the word ‘soft’.”

“You’ve met my father?” queried Rajaion.

“Yes. It was when the war was still young, and but a distant hum to us of the bird tribes in the southern isles,” Reyson informed. “A summit amongst the leaders of the laguz was held to discuss the growing presence of Daein, especially with regards to their encroachment on Gallia’s borders. King Goldoa was adamant that we do nothing that would threaten the awakening of the dark god, and was harshly critical of the piracy exercised by both Phoenicis and Kilvas, as well as my intense hatred of hu- beorc - that persisted within me at the time.” The heron was quick to correct himself.

“Hatred towards beorc? Why would...” Rajaion was confused at first, until it occurred to him exactly why Reyson would have such animosity towards beorc. “...Oh. Oh, goodness...How could I have forgotten all about that? The burning of Serenes Forest...No wonder you would despise beorc for such an atrocity…”

“...Indeed.” The heron prince’s fist curled slightly, in visible anger at the reminder. “I doubt I will ever forget the night my home was burned to the ground. I was incensed at all beorc, that they could even harbour the notion that we conceived a plot to assassinate Begnion’s apostle. That anger remained with me for twenty years, and resurfaced during that summit. ...King Goldoa disapproved of my enmity and desires for revenge. But...what he said in response has stuck with me since.”

“...And what did he say?”

“‘Blood leads only to blood, and violence begets violence. Revenge is simply another name for murder,’ was what he said to me,” Reyson quoted. “At the time, I took no notice of his words. But...over time, I realised the value, or rather, lack of it, in revenge. It resolves nothing, when all is said and done. If I truly desired the demise of all beorc for what they did to my brothers and sisters...then would I truly be the more righteous one? ...I would risk losing sight of who I truly was. It was the actions of Ike in saving my sister from the clutches of Duke Tanas and an official apology from the apostle that convinced me that not all beorc were as despicable as what I’d previously seen. Being with Ike’s army has hit home this point all the greater.”

“...I see,” Rajaion said, as he took in the heron laguz’s words. “That lesson sounds like Father’s words, alright. He always had lessons and wide words for me to learn at various points when I was still a young one. Because of how old he was and therefore the experience he had, I felt compelled to listen to his words, and I did see kernels of truth in what he said. That one about revenge being another name for murder? I’ve heard that one too. Father told me of that one after a murder occurred in Altoreth, our capital city, that turned out to be a revenge plot. He encouraged me never to entertain revenge in that way...and I certainly remember that one most prominently. Father may be stern and obstinate to some, but he has a heart. And he does care for me.”

“...I must admit...it is a tad strange,” commented the Serenes prince. “I mean no offence when saying this, Prince Rajaion...but it is rather bewildering to think that you are the firstborn son of King Dheginsea. In regards especially to your mannerisms and outlook...you differ completely to him. Whereas your father is more stoic and severe, you seem more...jovial and outgoing.”

“Oh, I’ve heard that before,” Rajaion replied. “My people often tell me how different I am from my father, both noble and commoner alike. Good to see you’re not one of the critical ones, Prince Reyson. I’ve had more than enough people, especially from nobility, tell me that because I’m not like my father, I’ll have no hope of becoming as great as him. They think I’m too soft to become king of Goldoa. But the way I see it, a king should be compassionate to his people, and not ignore them in favour of buttering up his fellow nobles. Typically, I ignore what they say. Most of them are either brash hotheads my age whose bark is much worse than their bite, or old lords that have been in power since the beginning of the country and whose heads are still stuck in those olden times. When they’re thought of like that, it’s often easy to find their words ignorable. Not to mention that most can’t hold their own in a duel against me. Which in the eyes of most other laguz would render their words without water.”

“...It certainly would be. Certainly, that’s how Tibarn would see it,” replied Reyson. “And from our first impressions, I do not think you would make a poor king, Prince Rajaion. You have a good heart, and you do appear to care for your people. Those are virtues a ruler should always have. Undoubtedly, you will make a greater ruler than that blackheart Mad King Ashnard. He who aimed to awaken the dark god and caused destruction and death wherever he went...He was such an infamous man, that the name ‘Mad King’s War’ has become attributed to the war he started.”

“The Mad King’s War...That has a ring to it, alright,” commented Rajaion. “Because that man was _mad._ I’ve met no one more insane and depraved than him, and no one willing enough to stoop to the depths that he did. Mad King is certainly right. What a state he created...I sincerely hope he stands as an example of how not to go down in history.”

“Too right,” concurred Reyson. “Here’s hoping there isn’t another like him. Or, at the very least, let no one like him resurface for a very, _very_ long time. The man who had a black enough heart to burn my home to the ground to fulfill his own sick ambitions…”

“...Wait, what?” Rajaion interrupted, once he’d realised what the heron prince had said. “Ashnard was responsible for the Serenes Massacre? ...Was it not Begnion citizens enraged at the apostle’s death?”

“We were under that impression as well. But while we were investigating Palmeni Temple in Daein, new evidence emerged to prove Ashnard’s involvement. He had kidnapped my sister Lillia along with the medallion and tried to force her to awaken the dark god with galdr. To kidnap a heron, he must have masterminded the killing of Begnion’s apostle and drove Begnion’s people to slaughter us herons in rage. Then he must have taken advantage of the chaos to abduct my sister. He only needed one heron for his schemes. I doubt he would have had qualms about killing off a race that didn’t fit at all with his ideals of ‘strength’.” By the end, his words had been laced with venom towards the deceased tyrant.

“I see…” Rajaion replied, but his brow was furrowed in confusion. In truth, he was trying to process the notion that Ashnard was behind the Serenes Massacre. _Really? But I was so sure it was Begnion...Could Ashnard really have done all that? He was a genuinely horrible, loathsome man, but...I had such faith in my hypothesis. ...I guess I was wrong, then._ “So one more injustice to add to the list, then, beyond all his previous crimes. And that’s not even counting all the stuff we don’t know he did. Just how many other lives has he ruined along with those whose livelihoods have been upturned by his schemes?”

“I know not. All I say is good riddance to him,” Reyson said, with contempt. “Let no more lives be tainted by his influence.”

“Indeed...Let no more lives be tainted by his influence,” the dragon prince agreed. “Let peace reign for the next while, at least. This war has created enough scars for those affected by it.”

“...You show great sympathy for those people,” Reyson noticed. “...If I must admit a truth...there was a time when I thought a Goldoan wouldn’t lift a finger for anyone outside their domain. Clearly...it seems I was wrong to believe such a thing. My apologies, Prince Rajaion. And to you as well, Ena and Nasir.”

“Don’t apologise,” Rajaion refuted. “...Honestly, it’s understandable why you might think that way. It’s rather easy to form prejudices when the very country you speak of is poorly thought of among its peers. I would presume...that this is the case of Goldoa among fellow laguz nations. Am I correct?”

“...You are correct,” replied the heron. “Goldoa is...not well viewed by other laguz, to put it mildly. The isolationism is one factor, and Tibarn, particularly, has a low opinion of your tribe. He refers to Goldoa’s inaction when the beorc began their abuse towards the laguz over the past number of centuries, and how they looked the other way while laguz were put in chains and forced to work against their will as servants of their beorc masters. And...forgive me for saying this, Prince Rajaion, given that you are a good person...but Tibarn has a point. Goldoa seemingly had no response to the brutality that many beorc dealt unto laguz. The way it was, and still is seen, is that they were more interested in keeping to their isolationism than helping their fellow laguz brothers. Even if King Goldoa’s intentions were pure, to prevent a war with Begnion that could potentially awaken the dark god...the apathy to the situation of slavery was unbelievable. Little to no effort was made by Goldoans to save those in captivity. And given their renowned power, unrivalled and tremendous as it is, they would surely not have to fear any resistance Begnion would have to muster against them. That, as far as I can see, is the main reason for the disaffection for Goldoa among other laguz. Tibarn feels this way, as does Naesala. I know that King Gallia does not harbour the same disdain as they do, but he is exceptional among Gallians. I would imagine it to be highly likely that there are many in the beast tribe that feel as Tibarn and Naesala do.”

“...Mmm…I see your point.” Rajaion’s reply sounded as if he had expected such an answer. Along with it, though, a degree of shame could be heard in his voice, which drew surprise from the two herons. "...It was disgraceful, our indifference to the plight of the laguz. In their hour of need, when they needed help from us the most, we turned our backs on them and closed our ears to their pleas while the cruel beorc worked them to the bone and delivered gruelling torture unto them. I won’t bother coming up with some half-baked excuse as to why no aid was given to the slaves when they needed help more than ever. The way I see it...it shouldn’t have been that way. We should not have ignored the suffering that those enslaved had to go through. More should have been done from us than giving a few paltry words of disapproval to Begnion. I won’t say we did nothing to advance the cause of laguz, as Father did advocate for the set-up of Gallia and Phoenicis and cleverly convinced Begnion to recognise Kilvas and Serenes in the Treaty of Sarasa - but the fact remains that we could have done much more. ...I can only apologise that a prevalent mindset of isolation among my superiors prevented such a thing from coming to pass.”

There was a notable silence as the words were processed by the two herons. Ena and Nasir watched from the side as their prince admitted his country’s failings to them. They both knew that this wasn’t something Rajaion wanted to own up to, as the prince had a love for his country and his people. But he knew, as did his fellow dragons in the room, that Goldoa was the furthest thing from a perfect country. It would be foolish to pretend all was right between it and the other laguz countries. At least what Rajaion was giving them was an apology. It was _something,_ rather than the silence the dragons had given the laguz slaves during the peak of their extreme hardship.

Eventually, the silence was broken by Leanne.

 _ **“It’s not your fault, Prince Rajaion,"**_ she told him. _**“**_ ** _You’re not to blame for what you couldn’t control._** _ **”**_

“...” Judging by his facial expression, Reyson found it more difficult to fully forgive the dragon as his sister had done. But he didn’t say anything immediately.

 _ **"...We shouldn’t be angry at Rajaion, Brother,”**_ the heron princess replied. _**“He’s a good person. Did you not hear the sincerity in his apology?”**_

“...I did. ...And your apology leads me to a question, Prince Rajaion.” Reyson looked at the Goldoan prince in the eyes. “If you speak against Goldoan isolation...are you against it?”

“...” Rajaion didn’t answer immediately. He pondered a reply, before eventually giving what he thought was an honest answer to the heron prince. 

“...I don’t know if I can answer that question.”

“You...can’t answer?” Reyson’s brow furrowed into a frown. “Why not?”

“...Because I really can’t give a definitive answer,” Rajaion said. “It’s a debate that weighs on my conscience. Is our isolation doing more harm than good? For now, we don’t know, because opening up Goldoa’s borders has never been tried in its history. But...to even suggest such a thing to our nobles...well, it would be like saying the goddess Ashera never existed. It would create quite a furore if I showed opposition to our isolation. Then I may well receive opposition to my own opposition, and efforts to replace me could take force. Or worse still, a coup d’état could be launched against me. Thus, I have remained ambiguous on my position, so as not to gain any more enemies within Goldoa’s borders.

“Perhaps then, what I will say instead is tell you the reason why my father vowed to isolate Goldoa from the rest of Tellius,” the prince decided, drawing surprise from Ena and Nasir.

“Hm? Would it not be...to prevent the whole continent from going to war, which would awaken the dark god?” Reyson replied, confusion in his expression once more. “King Goldoa has made his intentions perfectly clear on that front.”

“...Well, that’s only one reason. Of course, that’s a key basis on which our isolationism was founded. But...there’s another major reason, possibly a bigger factor as to why we remain cut off from the world.”

“...And that would be?” queried the heron.

“...We, the dragons of Goldoa…” Rajaion began. “...We do not isolate in order to keep us from the outside world. Rather...we isolate to keep the outside world from us.”

“...To keep the outside world from you? ...What do you mean?” Reyson pondered.

“Make of it what you will,” the dragon prince said. “But it is a legitimate reason touted for keeping Goldoa out of the affairs of other nations. Father and his fellow supporters of isolationism have made the lesson quite clear to me in my learnings to one day be king of Goldoa. But even so...should we truly pursue outright isolationism? Whether I should abandon it or not is a tough debate that weighs on my mind. ...I will have to make a firm decision about Goldoa’s future when I ascend to the throne. I should imagine many of my fellow dragons will be awaiting that very same decision.”

“...Not just dragons,” Reyson added. “A lot of laguz would want to know what your choice is regarding Goldoan isolation. Will the dragons open up to the world at last? I think the day when you become king of Goldoa, Prince Rajaion, will be an occasion that will be observed with bated breath.”

 _ **“But you’re good at heart. You’ll make the right decision for your country,”**_ Leanne said encouragingly. 

“Good to know I have your support, Princess Leanne,” Rajaion thanked. Then, his eyes were drawn over to the window. “...Goodness, is it sundown already? Time sure flew today...I guess that game of chess took up more time than I thought. Are we finished with dinner, Ena? Nasir?”

“Yes,” Ena replied. “It was good to see you two once more before our departure. Once more, thank you both for helping to revive Rajaion.”

 ** _“You’re very welcome,”_** said Leanne in return. _**"I**_ ** _wish the two of you a very happy life together._** _ **”**_

“As do I,” seconded Reyson.

“A happy life together...I can think of no better goal to strive to,” Rajaion resolved. “I shall see to it your wish will be upheld. I will remember your benevolence for the rest of my life.” And with that, he turned and left the room.

“I think we should follow, Grandfather,” Ena told Nasir, who got up from her chair. The white dragon did the same and the two dragons followed their prince out of the room, leaving the two herons alone.

“...How interesting,” Reyson remarked. “A dragon that cares for the feelings of others in the world...Tibarn will definitely have something to say about this when we return to Phoenicis.”

 _ **“...Mmm,”**_ murmured Leanne noncommittally. The tone of her voice drew her brother’s attention, who sensed something was up.

“Sister? Is something the matter?” queried the heron prince.

 _ **“...I read Rajaion’s heart while you were talking with him,”**_ she told him. _**“His heart is righteous and idealistic, and he has a strong sense of doing good for his country and his people. He would make a good ruler, when he becomes king.”**_

“...In that case, what has you troubled?”

 _ **“...It’s the more...negative emotions within his heart,”** _alluded the heron princess. _**"**_ ** _When he spoke of his father, I sensed a fond love, as any child would have for a parent. But I also found feelings of frustration, as well as...anger. I also sensed those same emotions during his apology to you."_**

“Hmm...Anger and frustration towards his father?” Reyson surmised. “...What could it be about? Could it be about Goldoa’s isolation?”

 _ **“Maybe,”**_ Leanne responded. _**“But those weren’t the only emotions I detected in his heart. I sensed something else, too.”**_

“What was it?”

_**“...Fear.”** _

“Fear? ...Why would he be fearful?”

 _ **“I don’t know exactly. ...I sensed he was trying to hide it. And I also got the sense that it was an emotion of great quantity.”**_ At that point, a thought came to Leanne. _**“Hmm...I wonder...Could his fear be because of…”**_ She whispered it into Reyson’s ear.

“...Goodness...Of course. That would explain it…” the heron prince replied, feeling sympathy wash over him for Rajaion. “Poor Prince Rajaion. One can only imagine the terror he must have gone through…”

* * *

Ena and Nasir followed Rajaion back to his room. When they entered, they saw the dragon prince perusing the room’s bookshelf. 

“There you are,” Ena began. “...What are you doing, my love?”

“Oh, nothing much,” the prince answered. “Just thought I’d maybe find a book to read until the sandman calls us to our slumber. Like this one.” He pulled a book out from the shelf. “ _T_ _he Exploits of Leolin: King Caradock’s Most Loyal Knight._..This looks rather interesting. ...Maybe we could read it together.”

“...Of course, my love. I would be glad to. Just like what we did back in Goldoa when you would visit. The two of us reading a book together in front of the roaring fire in Castle Elpis’s library when nights were cold...I liked when we did that very much. I’ll gladly do it again,” the pink dragon accepted.

“As would I. Hmm...I wonder if there’s any romance in this book. I’d want something that you’d be interested in, after all,” Rajaion said, before giving his fiancée a kiss on the cheek. The gesture made her giggle lightly.

“Romance?” Nasir pointed out.

“Oh, you don’t know? Ena’s developed quite a fondness for romance novels,” the dragon prince explained. “So when we go and read together in the library, I try to pick out one that’s full of lovey-doveyness and compassion and all the other things that a love story should have.”

“...I do have a weakness for them, I must confess,” admitted Ena.

“...Not too unlike your mother, then,” observed Nasir. “She was idealistic about love, and was stubborn about marrying your father despite the opposition she received from fellow suitors. But in the end, she had her way, and she had a happy life with her mate. ...And when I look upon you two, I am reminded of the same love Mara and Foritaph shared with one another.

"However...by my analysis, you two appear to be more greatly in love than they were at this point in their engagement. That is...if my presumption about the two of you is correct."

"Presumption? What presumption?" Rajaion asked, unsure of where the white dragon was going with this.

"You will see, Your Highness. But first...I would like to ask you a question, Ena." Nasir turned his focus to his granddaughter. "And, Ena...I would like you to be the utmost honest with me."

"...Of course, Grandfather," Ena acquiesced. However, worry and nervosity began to rise in her heart with what was to come. _He wouldn't normally request that I be honest with him...What could it be?_ "What do you wish to ask about?"

Nasir didn't say anything immediately. He took in a deep breath, as he pondered briefly how he should ask the question. Eventually, he decided to ask her straight. 

"Ena...Are you with child?"

The pink dragon gave a startled gasp. Over the past two weeks, she had expected her grandfather to pose this very query to her. She had even mentally prepared herself for when he would ask it, and ran potential dialogues through her head. However, in all the excitement of the coronation and Rajaion’s revival from his comatose state, she had completely forgotten to ready herself, and any calm composure she imagined herself having in such a situation had dissipated. 

What was more, the reaction from her told Nasir and Rajaion all they needed to know. The latter, particularly, was quite taken aback when he saw the truth in his love’s eyes.

 _Is she really with child?_ the dragon prince thought. _Could the night we had together in Raltsi really have…? ...Now that I think back on it, she was quite in heat back then. ...And...there was also Mother,_ he suddenly realised. _Mother, when I saw her in that stasis realm or whatever it was, knew of Ena’s pregnancy. She must have been watching from the heavens above over Ena, and known the truth about her._ He looked at his mate-to-be, a sympathetic look in his eyes. _How much has she worried about our child, on top of all the other stresses she had to endure? ...She’s brave, still pushing forward despite the fact she was carrying our child. Imagine that…all this time, she was..._

“...It’s true.” Ena’s words were filled with emotion, as if she was about to cry. “I-I’m pregnant with Rajaion’s child.” Tears began to fall from her cheeks. 

“...Ena…” A mixed look of surprise and concern came into Nasir’s eyes. “...Were you and Rajaion...intimate with one another?”

“...O-Once,” sniffed the red dragon. “B-But it was mutual...B-Both of us wanted it…” She began to sob, unable to say any more.

“Shh shh. It’s alright, Ena,” soothed Rajaion, putting a comforting arm around her shoulder. Ena put her arm around his midsection and held her head to his chest. “I’m here for you. I’ll take over if you want.”

“Y-Yes…” the dragoness mumbled tearfully.

“...So you both...wanted one another?” Nasir questioned, choosing his words carefully. “...When did this happen?”

“It was during one of our countryside excursions, where we helped out commonfolk with their everyday It would’ve been...nineteen years ago. It was about...two months before I left for Daein to rescue Almedha,” Rajaion recalled. “The inn we stayed in had only one room left, and the only bed in it was a double bed. And moreover...Ena was in heat.”

“...” Nasir’s eyes widened in realisation, as the pieces began to click together in his head.

“But I couldn’t just leave Ena to suffer in her heat. Especially while she and I were so close together, and forced to share the same bed,” the dragon prince said. “I had to do something. And honestly...in that moment, whether it was her heat that influenced me or not, she seemed irresistible to me. ...Suffice to say...nature took its course. 

“I told myself, as well as Ena, that since the marriage was a short while away at the time, that it wouldn’t matter as long as we kept it secret. If she became pregnant, we would pass it off as a marital conception, and no one would be any the wiser.” He then sighed. “...But it’s safe to say that plan’s going to have to be buried now.”

“...Don’t blame Rajaion for this, Grandfather,” Ena requested. Her eyes were red, but the tears had stopped for now. “It was my fault. It was my state of fertility and consent that convinced us to have sex before marriage. ...I’m sorry, Grandfather.”

"It's not your fault, Ena," rejected Rajaion. "I'm just as complicit in this as you are. I gave into my urges and convinced you to give into your feelings as well. It's me who should apologise."

“...There is no need for that, Your Highness,” Nasir stated calmly. "An apology is not necessary. ...I'm not mad at either of you, for what you have done."

"...But Grandfather…" Ena argued. "We have done a great wrong in the eyes of the goddess. ...At the very least, I should have told you I was pregnant. But I could not work up the nerve to speak the truth until now…"

"And that's reasonable," the white dragon replied. "It's not something that's easy to admit. I remember, before you were born, how nervous your mother was to tell me that she was pregnant with you, Ena. ...And more to the point, I have seen the love you possess for Rajaion. If that love drives you to completely go against your will and convictions and join the side of King Ashnard and Daein in order to save him...then that takes on a level of bravery few would have the resolve to carry out. And after nearly twenty years of toiling away with that unenviable task, it has paid off for you." He gestured to the now restored crown prince of Goldoa. “Your love for him has been made perfectly clear. I would be a fool to not support you at this point, not least because of our blood ties, but because you have proven yourself worthy to marry the man you love. And regarding the pre-marital intercourse you and His Highness did...from what I can see, it was done out of consensual love for one another, when the feelings you both felt for one another grew too great to suppress. And so...as the goddess would do, I forgive you for that sin, if one could call it that.”

“...Thank you, Nasir,” Rajaion said, a slight amount of relief in his voice. “It’s nice to see that you have our back. Hopefully there’ll be more like you that will overlook this transgression. ...I do hope I won’t receive too hard a reprimand for this. I know at least some of the nobles will have something to say about this, if I know them well. ...Would it be foolish to think their attitudes may have softened in the nineteen years since I left?” he suggested.

“...Hard to say,” Nasir answered. “I have been gone from Goldoa longer than you have, Your Highness. For all I know, things may have changed since then. Faces I knew may no longer be there, and new faces may have since risen to take new positions. Ninety or so years might be a lot shorter to a dragon than a beorc, but it’s not nothing. Some things have probably changed since my departure.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?” said the dragon prince. 

“Indeed. Ah, Goldoa...It’s only been nineteen years, but I have missed it dearly,” Ena admitted. “I wish to go home, back to Elpis. I wonder how Krimor’s doing as regent…”

“Krimor...Melkhart’s son? Interesting...I would like to see where he has gotten to now,” Nasir inputted. “You put him in charge of Elpis during your absence?”

“Yes. Krimor has proven his potential as a studious, tactful warrior while possessing strength that is beginning to rival his father in duels,” Ena elaborated. “Melkhart was occupied elsewhere, so I felt Krimor was the most able replacement to lead Elpis while I went to Daein to find out Rajaion’s whereabouts. ...I had meant it to be temporary, but I hadn’t expected it to be prolonged to nineteen years...I hope I didn’t place too big a burden on his shoulders.”

“Yet another thing we shall have to see once we return to Goldoa,” Nasir remarked. “I would quite like to see my old domain again after such an absence.”

“Then we’ll stop by there first,” decided Rajaion. “We’ll head there before we meet Father in Altoreth.”

“...You do not wish to see His Majesty first?” asked the elder dragon.

“Well, I do, but all three of us want to see how Elpis is faring. And if we trek through the Ertz Mountains, we could make a stop off there first,” reasoned the Goldoan prince. 

“...How considerate of you, my love,” Ena complimented.

“I do my best,” returned Rajaion, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “But that was actually my plan to begin with: to stop off in Elpis along the way. My plan was to head south from Melior to the Ertz Mountains and skirt along the Begnion side of those mountains. We can then enter Goldoa from the east, head through the Elpis Basin, and enter Elpis that way. It was a similar enough route to the one I took when heading to Daein. Only this time, the path home will be a more hopeful one and less burdened by worry and distress. This time, I’ll actually have time to take in the sights outside of Goldoa’s borders and enjoy them, rather than rushing in a hurry to Daein with no time to take in the views.”

“They certainly were something to get used to when I left Goldoa,” commented Nasir. “Now though, I think the Goldoan deserts and savannahs will surely be a strange sight to take in after the sheer greenery that I’ve seen in all of the other countries.”

“Funny. I was about to bring that up, how green Crimea is compared to Goldoa,” Rajaion replied. “It’s...quite a sight, especially when you’ve traversed a desert in the same way. It looks so...unnaturally green.”

“Nonetheless, it’s become familiar to me during my time as a ship’s captain,” the white dragon continued. “It will be something of an adjustment to get used to Goldoan scenery again.”

“Agreed.”

“Now then...shall I leave you two alone?” Nasir asked. “You have some reading to get on with, from what you proposed earlier.”

“Oh yeah, of course,” realised Rajaion, remembering he was still holding the book from before. “Well, I don’t want to ask you to leave, but…”

“No, I will,” asserted Nasir. “Couples do need their alone time. I know this fact from my younger days, and when Mara became enamoured with Foritaph. So in line with family tradition, I shall give you two that time alone.” He headed for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night, Grandfather,” Ena replied.

“And good night to you too, Ena. And Rajaion as well,” wished Nasir, before leaving the room.

“...Well...that could have gone a _lot_ worse,” commented the dragon prince, sounding slightly relieved. 

“Indeed...I was genuinely expecting anger from him for what we did together,” Ena seconded. “Thank goodness Grandfather is a kind soul able to forgive past transgressions.”

“...A transgression?” Rajaion queried. “Do you really want to call our first time that?”

“...Well...I...I don’t want to call it that,” Ena admitted. “I will say that the experience we had was one of the greatest nights of my life. I loved everything about that night we had together in Raltsi. I still remember those sensations vividly, even now. I want to truly express how wonderful that night was...but a part of me feels a shred of guilt for feeling such rapture at the time…”

“Don’t feel guilty,” Rajaion responded. “You love me, don’t you?”

“...Of course I do. I love no man more than you, Rajaion.”

“Then you shouldn’t feel guilty over having sex with the man you love dearly. The way I see it, and the way it should be seen, is that love should be the primary foundation of marriage, as well as family. You see sometimes where families arrange marriages between a son and a daughter, and chances are, they’ve barely met until a few weeks before the wedding. Or, worse still...when the marriage is arranged between two people with quite a significant gap between ages. And more often than not in that scenario, the younger of the couple is almost always the woman. ...When did marriage become such a selfish affair about money and bloodlines? How many people in those kinds of marriages actually love each other, like we do? How many of them are in fact carrying out their marriage out of duty rather than love? It shouldn’t be that way at all…”

“...I agree. And I regret to inform you of this, my love, but it’s no different in the beorc world,” Ena informed. “The issues are not too different from what you describe, but they are more widespread, given how numerous the beorc are in comparison to us. Mostly, it’s nobility that applies to what you say, with arrangements usually being made between houses, and often behind the suitors’ backs. Marriages are seen as potential for power through alliances between houses, or for money through dowries and land ownership. At least, from what information I could glean about the beorc system of nobility.”

“...A shame that love seems to have been put to the side in favour of other matters,” Rajaion commented. “You know something too? I imagine that among nobles especially, they will say that the goddess would gladly approve of their marriage. But would she? I should think the goddess would want her children to be as happy as they could be. A marriage arranged without truelove from either side... that cannot be the perfect vision for Ashera’s idealised world. And you know what else? I bet money the exact same kind of pious sexcentenarian married to a woman at least three centuries his junior will be the person to lecture me about sin and wrongdoing, when he’s the one arranging a relationship of dubious consent. It’s probably a speech I’ll hear a great deal of...I’ll _definitely_ be looking forward to that,” he finished sarcastically.

“...We’ll just have to face the barrage of criticism,” Ena sighed. “...May we drop this subject, Rajaion? This discussion is returning me to some harsher realities of the world in which we live.”

“...Of course,” accepted Rajaion. “Let’s return to this book, and see just who this Leolin character is.” He opened the tome and sat down on the bed, Ena taking her place beside him as he began to read the first few words. “The origins of the Kingdom of Crimea began when the lands that would make up this new domain were but provinces of the Begnion Empire, which once ruled all over Tellius minus the area occupied by the Kingdom of Goldoa...”

* * *

"...And so, Lady Gwyneth, starstruck by the efforts Sir Leolin went through to save her from the clutches of Duke Sella, requested her father to arrange a marriage with him. Duke Canteus gladly agreed, and once Sir Leolin had been informed and agreed to the wishes of the lady he had saved, the two officially married in the summer of 415, once a ceasefire had been reached on the Daein front,” read Rajaion out loud. “...How sweet of them.”

“How curious as well, that this marriage was an arranged one,” Ena noted. “But this one appears to be a better arrangement, where Lady Gwyneth knew Sir Leolin prior to the arrangement of their marriage.”

“That’s how it should be done,” Rajaion replied. “At least Lady Gwyneth saw Leolin’s charismatic and chivalric behaviour for herself, and had time to gauge her feelings for him before deciding she wished to marry him. And her father did not force her hand into a marriage with someone who she did not wish to be wedded to. ...I wonder if I could potentially form a law around such a thing. Or at the very least, discourage such attitudes towards marrying off children without their say in the matter.”

“...Maybe…” At that point, Ena let out a yawn, covering her mouth. “...It’ll catch on with the people…”

“...You tired?” asked Rajaion. “It has been a long day, to be fair.” Outside, night had fallen, and the prince had taken the liberty of lighting two candles so that they could read the book. “Shall I take you to bed?”

“...Mmm...I want to stay here with you...” murmured Ena tiredly, leaning against her fiancé’s shoulder. “...Rajaion? Can I ask something of you?”

“What is it?” asked the black dragon.

“Would it be alright if...if I...s-slept with you again?” requested Ena. “It’s just that...it’s been so long since I’ve seen you with this sanity. Is asking to sleep in the same bed...too much?”

“...No,” Rajaion decided to say. “I wouldn’t say that at all. Others might, but I won’t. Besides...I can never say no to your pleading face.”

“...Can I? Please?” begged the red dragon.

“Yes. This bed looks big enough for the two of us. ...Although...I do have one slight reservation.”

“What would that be, my love?”

“...I enjoyed that night we had in that inn in Raltsi, where we had our first time. What we experienced was nothing short of absolute heaven. ...Which is why I would prefer if we saved such rapture for when we are actually married.”

“...Oh, I understand,” Ena replied. “...I wasn’t planning to have sex with you, Rajaion...so I can acquiesce to that.”

“Good. Mind you, it’s not that I don’t want to have sex with you,” admitted the Goldoan prince. “It’s just that I’d rather we build up a want to have sex with each other, which we will be able to properly enjoy on our wedding night. It will make that eve all the more memorable.”

“...What a plan,” praised Ena. “Your tactical mind is enviable...I’m lucky to have been betrothed to someone as clever as you.” She traced a finger along her fiancé’s face lovingly.

“And I to you,” the prince said in return. “I couldn’t ask for anyone more loving in the world than you, Ena.” He leant forward and kissed Ena on the lips. She reciprocated, and the kiss soon became quite ardent and passionate, showing the love both dragons possessed for one another. A love so strong that it felt like any minute, the gears of primal instincts would take over before long…

Luckily, Rajaion came to his senses before it could come to that. As much as he didn’t want to, he broke off the kiss.

“Um…” A blush formed on his face. “...Yeah, that was...Let’s not go any further than that, shall we? If we did go any further...you probably know what would happen next.”

“...You are right,” concurred Ena. “Though...it doesn’t mean I’ll stop with the kissing.”

“And nor will I,” Rajaion returned. “...We just need to remember to reel ourselves in before things get a little too lovey-dovey. I like kissing you, but…”

“No, I understand,” the red dragon replied. At that point, she let loose another yawn unintentionally, which did not go unnoticed by her fiancé.

“...Right, that’s it,” decided Rajaion, closing the book. “It’s off to bed with you. It wouldn’t do if on the long road home, your snoring will be what will fill the silence.”

“Snoring?!” Ena cried. “I don’t snore!”

“...You sure?” Rajaion raised a quizzical eyebrow, before a smirk grew on his face and he eventually burst out laughing. “...Ah ha ha ha ha! No, I can’t pretend that! Of course you don’t snore, Ena. Though, your reaction...ha ha ha! I’m sorry…but it was perfect...” After his laughing fit was over, he took in a large breath to calm himself down. “No, really, it was a joke. You don’t snore. At the very least, I hope you don’t.”

“I most certainly do not,” the pink dragon responded, somewhat curtly. “And do not insinuate otherwise, Rajaion.”

“Okay, okay. I promise you I was only joking,” said the dragon prince. “...But anyway. Bedtime.” He looked over at the bed, where a pair of pyjamas had been provided for him.

“I’ll be back. Just need to fetch something,” Ena said, as if she’d remembered something, and left the room. Less than a minute later, she returned with her nightgown folded in one hand.

“Ah, of course,” Rajaion realised. “It wouldn’t be comfortable if you slept in your day clothes, after all.”

“I’ve done it before. But this is more comfortable,” replied Ena. “...Although...I will have to change.”

“...Oh.” The Goldoan crown prince realised what she was getting at. “And...so do I.”

“...We’ll just turn our backs while we dress for bed,” proposed the pink dragon, getting rather red in the face. 

“Y-Yeah. That would be best,” agreed Rajaion. 

And so the two turned their backs and did so. The prince started to undress and change into his provided pyjamas; they were silken, and dyed a viridian colour. All the while, however, his head battled with temptation.

 _Don’t look at Ena. Don’t look at Ena. Don’t look at Ena,_ he willed himself. But his temptation grew greater by the second, and eventually, he couldn’t resist a peek.

He didn’t see as much as he thought he would see. What he did catch sight of, though, was of Ena with her back exposed as she tied a knot in her nightgown. Immediately, Rajaion recoiled back around.

 _You idiot,_ he self-reprimanded. _Not until you’re married should you aspire to see such an image. Keep your damn promises._ The dragon put that thought to rest and focused on dressing the rest of his pyjamas. Soon he was finished.

“I’m dressed,” came Ena’s voice. Rajaion turned around and looked at his fiancée, who was now into her nightgown.

“...You look nice in that,” he complimented. “...Though I note the style doesn’t look Goldoan.”

“It’s from Daein, actually,” Ena told him. “I purchased it in order to combat the frigid winters, which worsened especially at nightfall. It served its purpose...and I find it rather nice. It is quite comfortable, and with the cold Goldoan nights, it will have more purpose in the future. ...It may well be one of the few souvenirs from Daein that I will like.” Her expression then turned downcast. “I wonder...was it truly worth it?”

“...What do you mean, Ena?” asked Rajaion.

“...Was it worth it, serving under Ashnard?” wondered the dragoness. “I did so with the intention to find a cure for your ferality. But I...I couldn’t find one, in all those nineteen years. If not for Reyson and Leanne, you never would have been restored back to your normal self. Meanwhile, during that time, the only thing I did was carry out Ashanrd’s wicked whims through devising strategies that would benefit him. ...How many people must have died as a result of my strategies? The question has weighed on my mind on more than one occasion...and then a thought nearly always comes into my head: ‘What would Rajaion think of what I’m doing now?’ ...I must ask. What...do you think of what I did, Rajaion?”

“...You wouldn’t have done it if not for me,” the prince himself replied. “And if you had not offered to join Ashnard’s side, then you would have suffered a fate as grisly as I did. ...I couldn’t bear it if such a thing happened to you, Ena. Therefore...perhaps it was better you did join his side. Ashnard’s regime would have continued with or without you. In the end, he would’ve found a tactician to form strategies for him in your place. And it’s because you were in the Daein army and saved by Sir Ike that your situation could be found out by the Crimean army, and I was able to be purged of that vile drug by Reyson and Leanne. If you’d stayed in Goldoa...none of that could have happened. I might not have been saved if you had not been there. And the pain you would have felt with me out of your life would have been palpable.”

“...That may be true,” Ena said. “But even so...I still feel guilty for taking part in advancing Ashnard’s diabolic ways…”

“But you had no choice otherwise,” Rajaion pointed out. “Your life was at stake if you didn’t follow the Mad King’s command. Don’t feel guilty for what you never would do in any other circumstance. Ashnard is dead, and with it should die our ties to that man. We are no longer beholden to that blackheart’s whims. ...You know, I’ve just had a thought.”

“...What would that be, Rajaion?”

“Well...You know how most couples say they would do anything for one another?” brought up the dragon prince. “But how many actually live up to that promise? How many would truly go through with doing anything and everything for their loved one? How many...can say that they have done the equivalent of what you have done?”

“...Not many, I should think,” Ena presumed.

“Exactly. Many of our people wouldn’t even have the guts to leave Goldoa itself, much less venture all the way to Daein in order to save their beloved. And many more would not have the will to carry out Ashnard’s evil deeds. Many would have given up within one decade, I reckon. But you kept going, Ena, all for my sake...Genuinely, that takes strength and bravery that few people in this world could muster. You’re very brave for weathering what must have been turmoil of the conscience and mind. I know you’ve suffered a great deal, and I can’t express enough sympathy for what you went through. But it takes a heart of great bravery to go through an experience like that.”

“...There were times where I desperately wanted to abandon what I was doing,” admitted the pink dragon. “...But then I told myself that if I simply gave up, then all hope would be lost. And also, the thought of you, trapped inside that mindless, feral body, drove me and motivated me to keep going, to hopefully one day restore you to your sanity. And today...that was finally achieved.” She went forward and hugged Rajaion. “Finally...you’ve returned...”

“Yes. I have returned. And I promise not to leave you anytime soon.” The black dragon kept the embrace strong, until he eventually worked his holding on her into a bridal carry, much to Ena’s surprise. But she understood once Rajaion placed her into the bed. He then joined on the other side of the bed.

“Even the strong and brave need their rest,” he told her. “And...so do mothers.” The last part was said with a fondness in the prince’s eyes.

“...Of course. I’ll always treasure this gift you have given me, Rajaion,” Ena said to him. “And now our child will know their father.”

“...A father…” A slight thrill went down Rajaion’s spine as he said this, the familiarity he noted he’d felt before, back when he and Ena had that glorious night all those years ago. _I’m going to be a father._ That truth made him feel warm inside, that he could forge such happiness for him and Ena going forward.

“...Goodnight, Rajaion,” Ena wished, giving him a kiss on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” returned the prince. “Sweet dreams, Ena. You’ve earned them.”

And with that, the two dragons succumbed to slumber, in the warmth of each other. At last, after nineteen years of hardship...the couple had been truly reunited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Hopefully it won’t be an age before the next upload.” ...Yeah, some things don’t age well, do they? It was my intention to get this up sooner, but let’s just say a multitude of reasons(diverting time to writing Festive Dragons back in October, college work, occasional writer’s block) contributed to this upload four months after the last one. Among which was the fact that this chapter totalled more than 23,000 words, which was totally unintended. I’ll try to aim for a lower word count next time.
> 
> But anyway. Notes on the chapter. 
> 
> Regarding the flashback of how Ena joined Daein’s side, I decided to interpret Ena’s submission to Daein as it was, as she would have needed some excuse to convince Ashnard to join her and not use her as a Feral One instead. Why would Ena still be a tactician nineteen years later? Her tactical prowess clearly must have been needed. And so I spun the explanation that there was a lack of tacticians in Ashnard’s army.
> 
> There are some slight details about Goldoa being dropped in this chapter, which I hope to flesh out later. Here’s hoping I remember to do them all. 
> 
> And also, the love between Rajaion and Ena would result in some degree of amorosity, like near the end of this chapter. For that reason, I think I will keep this at M. I won’t write anything overly explicit in this fic, but there will certainly be mentions of coitus, as well as the initiation of it, and moments where the two of them do get close to divesting one another. Though, who knows? I’ve seen some fics rated T with these same things in them, so I may change my mind on this. (Key word being may.)
> 
> Thanks for reading this long one. See you next time.

**Author's Note:**

> So this will be my first multiple chapter story, rather than the oneshots I have been doing in the past. And it dips into most of what I would see as a vast font of fanfiction ideas: alternate universes. What if a certain character was an ally instead of an enemy? What if another character was thrown into the mix? And what if a certain character fated to die in the original story never actually did?
> 
> This is a fanfiction canonically different to what happens in-game. Which is alright. That's done all the time on here. As for what that change is...I don't want to reveal what the change is right away. But I reckon it'll be figured out easily enough. The next chapter I have planned reveals what it is anyway. I don't exactly intend for it to be a well-guarded secret.
> 
> As for an upload schedule...I'll be honest, don't expect one. I can't say for sure when the next chapter will be out, or the next one after that. All I will say is that I will try to upload stories when I can. Or when I feel like it. But that's not to say that I won't veer off to do another fanfic. I do have other ideas in the works that I hope to publish in future. 
> 
> Part of the fear I have of uploading a multi-chapter story like this is the idea that I might lose interest, or personal life will occupy my time, and therefore leave a long period between chapter write-ups, like what has been done with other pieces of fanfiction. Though I can't say I blame those that feel they are too busy to devote time to their fanfic, or feel they have hit a brick wall with ideas, or just don't have the will or interest to write another chapter. All the same, I hope I can at least finish this fanfic.
> 
> But that's enough negativity. I can say for definite that I have begun work on the next chapter. And while I don't have every chapter planned out, I have a good amount of ideas for this story. 
> 
> Also, I'm told that it's Tellius Week 2020 at the time of posting this. So...I guess you could call this chapter a contribution to that?
> 
> Anyway, that's all I can think of to say here. See you all in the next chapter.


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